1 00:00:10,629 --> 00:00:09,039 I spent my last dollar getting here when 2 00:00:13,150 --> 00:00:10,639 we kick it and you're talking to me 3 00:00:14,770 --> 00:00:13,160 about healing through belief you're a 4 00:00:16,240 --> 00:00:14,780 man looking at the world through a 5 00:00:19,089 --> 00:00:16,250 keyhole and you spent your whole life 6 00:00:22,030 --> 00:00:19,099 trying to widen that keyhole to see more 7 00:00:24,540 --> 00:00:22,040 to know more and now on hearing that it 8 00:00:27,460 --> 00:00:24,550 can be widened in ways you can't imagine 9 00:00:29,319 --> 00:00:27,470 you reject the possibility I reject it 10 00:00:31,929 --> 00:00:29,329 because I do not believe in fairy tales 11 00:00:34,930 --> 00:00:31,939 about chakras or energy or the power 12 00:00:38,590 --> 00:00:34,940 belief there is no such thing as spirit 13 00:00:41,919 --> 00:00:38,600 that's a clip from the 2016 mega sci-fi 14 00:00:45,400 --> 00:00:41,929 hit Doctor Strange and this scene really 15 00:00:49,299 --> 00:00:45,410 captures the scientist at the tipping 16 00:00:52,540 --> 00:00:49,309 point we are made of matter nothing more 17 00:00:54,639 --> 00:00:52,550 it's just another tiny momentary speck 18 00:00:56,739 --> 00:00:54,649 within an indifferent universe you think 19 00:00:59,709 --> 00:00:56,749 too little of yourself oh you think you 20 00:01:06,340 --> 00:00:59,719 see through me doing what you don't but 21 00:01:07,990 --> 00:01:06,350 I see through you I pushed your astral 22 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:08,000 form out of your physical what's in that 23 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:13,490 tea psilocybin LSD tea with a little 24 00:01:20,890 --> 00:01:16,490 honey of course wouldn't it be great if 25 00:01:24,220 --> 00:01:20,900 it was that simple but the reality is as 26 00:01:27,250 --> 00:01:24,230 we know the transition from the 27 00:01:32,940 --> 00:01:27,260 materialistic scientific paradigm that 28 00:01:36,220 --> 00:01:32,950 were in meshed in to what lies beyond is 29 00:01:39,550 --> 00:01:36,230 anything but clean and there's a lot of 30 00:01:41,940 --> 00:01:39,560 hanger honors as today's guest dr. 31 00:01:43,870 --> 00:01:41,950 Philip Goff has experienced a 32 00:01:47,470 --> 00:01:43,880 philosopher who's very good friend of 33 00:01:49,540 --> 00:01:47,480 mine a very warm and pathetic guy very 34 00:01:52,270 --> 00:01:49,550 kind cares about the world but he 35 00:01:53,740 --> 00:01:52,280 doesn't think consciousness exists it's 36 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:53,750 always incredible to me that it you know 37 00:01:59,170 --> 00:01:56,330 in a sense he thinks you know no one has 38 00:02:00,430 --> 00:01:59,180 ever really felt pain on earth I think 39 00:02:03,010 --> 00:02:00,440 one of the big problems in that position 40 00:02:05,350 --> 00:02:03,020 is all of scientific knowledge is 41 00:02:08,259 --> 00:02:05,360 mediated through consciousness right you 42 00:02:10,660 --> 00:02:08,269 only know that electrons because you 43 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:10,670 have conscious experiences of cloud 44 00:02:14,020 --> 00:02:12,530 chambers and things thinking that you 45 00:02:15,640 --> 00:02:14,030 could have scientific evidence the 46 00:02:17,979 --> 00:02:15,650 consciousness doesn't exist is a bit 47 00:02:18,470 --> 00:02:17,989 like thinking astronomy can tell us that 48 00:02:20,510 --> 00:02:18,480 there are 49 00:02:23,210 --> 00:02:20,520 telescopes but I guess one of the 50 00:02:26,240 --> 00:02:23,220 questions for me is how much of this 51 00:02:29,150 --> 00:02:26,250 hang around our stuff should we tolerate 52 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:29,160 should we accept as just part of the 53 00:02:36,470 --> 00:02:32,730 change process versus calling it for 54 00:02:37,220 --> 00:02:36,480 what it is you know in academia it's 55 00:02:38,780 --> 00:02:37,230 really easy 56 00:02:40,910 --> 00:02:38,790 who gets the grants who gets promoted 57 00:02:43,309 --> 00:02:40,920 who doesn't get promoted who doesn't get 58 00:02:44,990 --> 00:02:43,319 tenure and they get pruned off the tree 59 00:02:46,250 --> 00:02:45,000 and at the end of the day you wind up 60 00:02:48,559 --> 00:02:46,260 with what we have now 61 00:02:50,660 --> 00:02:48,569 you know we wind up with you debating 62 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:50,670 with Jerry Coyne which again I I know I 63 00:02:55,940 --> 00:02:53,370 push back when I say this but he's just 64 00:02:58,880 --> 00:02:55,950 really incompetent I mean I've had him 65 00:03:00,650 --> 00:02:58,890 on the show and he just blows like you 66 00:03:03,860 --> 00:03:00,660 pointed out in your debate with him he 67 00:03:04,940 --> 00:03:03,870 just gets major things wrong that he's 68 00:03:07,940 --> 00:03:04,950 supposed to know about 69 00:03:09,979 --> 00:03:07,950 and yet he's put forward and propped up 70 00:03:12,470 --> 00:03:09,989 University of Chicago been around 71 00:03:13,729 --> 00:03:12,480 forever and this goes on and on so that 72 00:03:15,979 --> 00:03:13,739 that's the social engineering project 73 00:03:19,009 --> 00:03:15,989 not that people don't legitimately 74 00:03:21,350 --> 00:03:19,019 believe you know they believe it's just 75 00:03:24,170 --> 00:03:21,360 that the people who are really thinking 76 00:03:28,940 --> 00:03:24,180 this thing through are not presented as 77 00:03:31,550 --> 00:03:28,950 credible this was a very fun chat with a 78 00:03:34,580 --> 00:03:31,560 very bright guy who's doing some great 79 00:03:37,810 --> 00:03:34,590 work I hope you enjoy my conversation 80 00:03:44,350 --> 00:03:37,820 with dr. Phillip golf 81 00:03:49,520 --> 00:03:46,539 [Music] 82 00:03:52,250 --> 00:03:49,530 today we welcome dr. Philip Goff to 83 00:03:54,500 --> 00:03:52,260 skeptic Oh Philip is a philosopher and 84 00:03:57,399 --> 00:03:54,510 consciousness researcher at Durham 85 00:03:59,750 --> 00:03:57,409 University in the UK he's the author of 86 00:04:02,240 --> 00:03:59,760 consciousness and fundamental reality 87 00:04:05,629 --> 00:04:02,250 he's got a new book coming out titled 88 00:04:08,420 --> 00:04:05,639 Galileo's air a manifesto for a new 89 00:04:12,020 --> 00:04:08,430 science of consciousness he blogs at 90 00:04:15,379 --> 00:04:12,030 conscious and consciousness if you see a 91 00:04:17,569 --> 00:04:15,389 theme here hey this guy is all about 92 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:17,579 consciousness and that just makes him a 93 00:04:22,339 --> 00:04:20,250 perfect guest for what we love to talk 94 00:04:24,260 --> 00:04:22,349 about here on skeptic Oh Philip I'm 95 00:04:26,390 --> 00:04:24,270 really glad we were able to make this 96 00:04:26,980 --> 00:04:26,400 happen finally and thanks so much for 97 00:04:32,089 --> 00:04:26,990 joining me 98 00:04:41,740 --> 00:04:32,099 great let's get the chest so let's start 99 00:04:48,740 --> 00:04:44,180 worked in a lot of different places over 100 00:04:51,260 --> 00:04:48,750 the last 10 or 11 years and I guess my 101 00:04:52,730 --> 00:04:51,270 main focus is consciousness I guess more 102 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:52,740 generally I've just you know I'm just 103 00:04:59,540 --> 00:04:56,610 really fascinated by things that don't 104 00:05:01,159 --> 00:04:59,550 seem to fit into our standard scientific 105 00:05:03,040 --> 00:05:01,169 picture of the world or the thing things 106 00:05:05,420 --> 00:05:03,050 that it's really hard to fit in the 107 00:05:07,640 --> 00:05:05,430 consciousness being at the obvious one 108 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:07,650 but also you know other things like 109 00:05:13,879 --> 00:05:09,690 value for example we tend to think there 110 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:13,889 are you know facts about value can to 111 00:05:17,120 --> 00:05:15,570 see how they fit in with the kind of 112 00:05:20,779 --> 00:05:17,130 facts we know about for the natural 113 00:05:23,390 --> 00:05:20,789 science or abstract objects like 114 00:05:25,850 --> 00:05:23,400 mathematicians tell us all sorts of cool 115 00:05:27,290 --> 00:05:25,860 things about numbers and sets you know 116 00:05:29,689 --> 00:05:27,300 what the hell is the connection between 117 00:05:32,420 --> 00:05:29,699 that kind of abstract realm and a 118 00:05:34,279 --> 00:05:32,430 concrete world of tables and chairs so 119 00:05:36,649 --> 00:05:34,289 you know I guess I'm just interested in 120 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:36,659 how how all these things fit together 121 00:05:41,300 --> 00:05:38,570 and I you know how we can have a a 122 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:41,310 worldview that can accommodate you know 123 00:05:46,339 --> 00:05:44,130 not just the things that empirical 124 00:05:47,779 --> 00:05:46,349 science that observation experiment tell 125 00:05:49,189 --> 00:05:47,789 us about but other things we have a 126 00:05:51,080 --> 00:05:49,199 reason to believe in my consciousness 127 00:05:53,629 --> 00:05:51,090 for example how we can fit them all 128 00:05:56,629 --> 00:05:53,639 together there I guess that's my the big 129 00:05:57,950 --> 00:05:56,639 thing I try to do really yeah I like as 130 00:05:59,930 --> 00:05:57,960 I was preparing for the unit 131 00:06:02,840 --> 00:05:59,940 I forget where I ran across this but I 132 00:06:05,390 --> 00:06:02,850 love this story early you know early 133 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:05,400 childhood story you know you say I asked 134 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:07,410 my parents where are we you know you say 135 00:06:10,580 --> 00:06:08,610 hey I was always interested in 136 00:06:12,650 --> 00:06:10,590 big-picture questions I asked my parents 137 00:06:14,659 --> 00:06:12,660 where are we and then you have a great 138 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:14,669 sense of humor and you added but maybe 139 00:06:20,749 --> 00:06:16,289 that's because we just moved into a new 140 00:06:22,360 --> 00:06:20,759 house about this in preparation for 141 00:06:24,620 --> 00:06:22,370 Cynthia did you know did I show any 142 00:06:26,390 --> 00:06:24,630 signs of early interest in philosophy I 143 00:06:27,800 --> 00:06:26,400 guess I've been interested in full of 144 00:06:29,499 --> 00:06:27,810 simple questions as long as I can 145 00:06:32,210 --> 00:06:29,509 remember really and I was asking my dad 146 00:06:33,680 --> 00:06:32,220 how far back that went and yet she said 147 00:06:35,270 --> 00:06:33,690 to me when I was far I think he was five 148 00:06:38,510 --> 00:06:35,280 I can't remember now what I said in 149 00:06:42,020 --> 00:06:38,520 light and yeah I asked why we're here 150 00:06:44,060 --> 00:06:42,030 but it was as I say I have to confess it 151 00:06:45,409 --> 00:06:44,070 was we just moved to in you know so it 152 00:06:48,529 --> 00:06:45,419 could have been connected to that I 153 00:06:50,029 --> 00:06:48,539 don't know but well I think it's I think 154 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:50,039 it's a great story especially the way 155 00:06:57,260 --> 00:06:53,250 things turn out I mean it is interesting 156 00:07:00,230 --> 00:06:57,270 because a lot of people do not have a 157 00:07:02,899 --> 00:07:00,240 passion for these kind of questions 158 00:07:04,999 --> 00:07:02,909 which to me always seemed fundamental 159 00:07:06,950 --> 00:07:05,009 even in my life when I was running off 160 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:06,960 doing other things business primarily 161 00:07:11,149 --> 00:07:08,970 chasing money and doing that kind of 162 00:07:12,890 --> 00:07:11,159 stuff I always had in the back of my 163 00:07:15,469 --> 00:07:12,900 mind that I'd like to get around to 164 00:07:18,529 --> 00:07:15,479 answering these fundamental questions do 165 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:18,539 you ever wonder why more people don't 166 00:07:23,240 --> 00:07:21,090 seem to have this on the top of their 167 00:07:28,969 --> 00:07:23,250 to-do list that is to get to the bottom 168 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:28,979 of this yeah I guess it's partly to do 169 00:07:34,189 --> 00:07:32,250 with the very kind of scientistic 170 00:07:35,629 --> 00:07:34,199 culture we're living in I mean people 171 00:07:38,480 --> 00:07:35,639 don't really know what philosophy is 172 00:07:41,749 --> 00:07:38,490 they think no it's the job of science to 173 00:07:43,610 --> 00:07:41,759 tell us you know what the universe is 174 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:43,620 like maybe it's a job of philosophers to 175 00:07:47,749 --> 00:07:45,210 make us feel a bit better about it or 176 00:07:49,040 --> 00:07:47,759 something but you know it's the job of 177 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:49,050 science' tell us what the world is like 178 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:50,610 and I guess I think we're going through 179 00:07:56,089 --> 00:07:53,210 a phase of history where people are 180 00:07:58,459 --> 00:07:56,099 rightly you know blown away by the 181 00:08:00,649 --> 00:07:58,469 success of physical science you know and 182 00:08:02,749 --> 00:08:00,659 the extraordinary technology it's 183 00:08:04,969 --> 00:08:02,759 produced and you know that leads you to 184 00:08:07,550 --> 00:08:04,979 think oh this works right we've got 185 00:08:11,300 --> 00:08:07,560 something that works and to put all your 186 00:08:11,890 --> 00:08:11,310 faith in that whereas as we might get 187 00:08:14,860 --> 00:08:11,900 onto I 188 00:08:17,499 --> 00:08:14,870 in my view the reason physical science 189 00:08:19,570 --> 00:08:17,509 has been so successful is because it's 190 00:08:22,810 --> 00:08:19,580 it's always been focused on on a quite 191 00:08:25,390 --> 00:08:22,820 narrow task you know roughly telling us 192 00:08:27,999 --> 00:08:25,400 how things behave and it's done very 193 00:08:30,490 --> 00:08:28,009 well focusing on that narrow task but 194 00:08:32,079 --> 00:08:30,500 there's lots of other things we know 195 00:08:35,110 --> 00:08:32,089 about the world that you know don't 196 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:35,120 quite fit in there such as consciousness 197 00:08:40,269 --> 00:08:36,890 I mean you know consciousness is that is 198 00:08:42,159 --> 00:08:40,279 the most interesting because on the one 199 00:08:43,990 --> 00:08:42,169 hand it's so hard to fit into our 200 00:08:46,570 --> 00:08:44,000 standard scientific picture of reality 201 00:08:48,820 --> 00:08:46,580 but on the other hand it's so hard to 202 00:08:51,790 --> 00:08:48,830 deny it exists you know you're nothing 203 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:51,800 is more evident than the reality of our 204 00:08:56,500 --> 00:08:54,410 feelings and experiences so you know we 205 00:08:58,269 --> 00:08:56,510 have to account for it somehow it has to 206 00:09:00,550 --> 00:08:58,279 fit in there somehow you know but it's 207 00:09:02,740 --> 00:09:00,560 so hard to make it fit so you know I 208 00:09:05,380 --> 00:09:02,750 mean things have changed a lot I'd say 209 00:09:08,620 --> 00:09:05,390 you know but hold on hold on full stop 210 00:09:12,250 --> 00:09:08,630 because I always worry that even casting 211 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:12,260 it that way is I think conceding too 212 00:09:18,370 --> 00:09:15,170 much to materialistic science from a 213 00:09:21,910 --> 00:09:18,380 philosophical standpoint consciousness 214 00:09:24,940 --> 00:09:21,920 your consciousness is really the only 215 00:09:27,000 --> 00:09:24,950 thing you can be sure of and contrasting 216 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:27,010 that with this theory out there this 217 00:09:33,220 --> 00:09:30,050 unproven and in a lot of ways falsified 218 00:09:35,860 --> 00:09:33,230 theory that the world is out there that 219 00:09:38,530 --> 00:09:35,870 the world is measurable that the rule 220 00:09:41,260 --> 00:09:38,540 there's a consensus among all of us I 221 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:41,270 mean that is just falsified over and 222 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:44,930 over again so do we even from the 223 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:46,730 beginning because of the power of 224 00:09:52,120 --> 00:09:49,010 science in our society do we concede too 225 00:09:54,579 --> 00:09:52,130 much even at the beginning yeah 226 00:09:58,240 --> 00:09:54,589 certainly agree with you to the extent 227 00:10:02,440 --> 00:09:58,250 that I think what is known with greater 228 00:10:05,829 --> 00:10:02,450 certainty is the reality of my own 229 00:10:09,850 --> 00:10:05,839 consciousness you know is there a really 230 00:10:11,710 --> 00:10:09,860 a table out there that's questionable is 231 00:10:13,509 --> 00:10:11,720 certainly known with certainty but if 232 00:10:16,179 --> 00:10:13,519 I'm in pain 233 00:10:18,340 --> 00:10:16,189 it's very hard to deny the reality of my 234 00:10:21,639 --> 00:10:18,350 pain that I'm immediately aware of in my 235 00:10:24,069 --> 00:10:21,649 experience so I think you know decart 236 00:10:25,869 --> 00:10:24,079 you know the start of modern philosophy 237 00:10:27,489 --> 00:10:25,879 back in the Scientific Revolution got 238 00:10:28,809 --> 00:10:27,499 that completely right although I don't 239 00:10:32,889 --> 00:10:28,819 agree with them about a lot of other 240 00:10:33,850 --> 00:10:32,899 things but I suppose it depends what you 241 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:33,860 mean by science 242 00:10:40,809 --> 00:10:38,050 I tend to distinguish physical science 243 00:10:43,600 --> 00:10:40,819 from a more expansive conception of 244 00:10:47,290 --> 00:10:43,610 science physical science being focused 245 00:10:52,989 --> 00:10:47,300 on obsession and experiment 246 00:10:55,449 --> 00:10:52,999 and quantitative analysis in intuitive 247 00:10:58,389 --> 00:10:55,459 vocabulary mathema I don't think those 248 00:10:59,679 --> 00:10:58,399 resources are much good at least for 249 00:11:01,030 --> 00:10:59,689 giving a complete account of 250 00:11:03,850 --> 00:11:01,040 consciousness and I think they were 251 00:11:06,189 --> 00:11:03,860 never designed for that purpose but what 252 00:11:08,799 --> 00:11:06,199 I like to move towards is expansive 253 00:11:12,910 --> 00:11:08,809 conception of science sometimes called 254 00:11:15,299 --> 00:11:12,920 the boost gala AIIMS where we where we 255 00:11:17,379 --> 00:11:15,309 take your observation environment 256 00:11:20,230 --> 00:11:17,389 uncertain as they don't think they're 257 00:11:23,350 --> 00:11:20,240 important for informing our theory of 258 00:11:25,539 --> 00:11:23,360 the world but we also take the reality 259 00:11:28,179 --> 00:11:25,549 of consciousness as we immediately 260 00:11:31,509 --> 00:11:28,189 experience it as a datum at least equal 261 00:11:32,980 --> 00:11:31,519 if not more important than observation 262 00:11:35,410 --> 00:11:32,990 experiment and we try to put them both 263 00:11:38,049 --> 00:11:35,420 together and try to find a theory a 264 00:11:40,569 --> 00:11:38,059 reality that can account for both and I 265 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:40,579 don't people are really in the mindset 266 00:11:44,619 --> 00:11:42,170 of thinking of science like that they 267 00:11:46,660 --> 00:11:44,629 think of Sciences the job of science is 268 00:11:47,980 --> 00:11:46,670 account for the data of observation 269 00:11:50,769 --> 00:11:47,990 experiment you know once you've done 270 00:11:51,819 --> 00:11:50,779 that job done but I think that you know 271 00:11:54,910 --> 00:11:51,829 know there's something else there's 272 00:11:56,439 --> 00:11:54,920 something else we know is real and if we 273 00:11:58,299 --> 00:11:56,449 can't account for that then our theory 274 00:12:00,970 --> 00:11:58,309 is incomplete so I think we need to move 275 00:12:03,639 --> 00:12:00,980 to an expansive conception of science 276 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:03,649 where we take consciousness as a datum 277 00:12:08,379 --> 00:12:04,610 and it's so right 278 00:12:11,679 --> 00:12:08,389 yeah I hear you I keep wanting to go 279 00:12:14,799 --> 00:12:11,689 further and I guess that's been one of 280 00:12:17,350 --> 00:12:14,809 my aims on this show because well I 281 00:12:19,660 --> 00:12:17,360 started with believing there was this 282 00:12:22,150 --> 00:12:19,670 legitimate divide you know and this 283 00:12:24,369 --> 00:12:22,160 legitimate question about the hard 284 00:12:26,049 --> 00:12:24,379 problem of consciousness which you know 285 00:12:27,280 --> 00:12:26,059 now I come to understand is such a 286 00:12:29,170 --> 00:12:27,290 misnomer I mean what's 287 00:12:31,420 --> 00:12:29,180 easy problem of consciousness it kind of 288 00:12:34,509 --> 00:12:31,430 misses the point from the beginning but 289 00:12:38,050 --> 00:12:34,519 that led me to an investigation of 290 00:12:41,590 --> 00:12:38,060 frontier science parapsychology here are 291 00:12:43,840 --> 00:12:41,600 folks saying wait I can take I can play 292 00:12:46,449 --> 00:12:43,850 by the rules of the game that is the 293 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:46,459 scientific method and I can show you 294 00:12:53,319 --> 00:12:49,970 that consciousness doesn't work the way 295 00:12:55,930 --> 00:12:53,329 you think it does that an epiphenomena 296 00:12:59,100 --> 00:12:55,940 of the brain model of brain based 297 00:13:01,780 --> 00:12:59,110 consciousness falls apart from these 298 00:13:04,180 --> 00:13:01,790 parapsychology experiments and then when 299 00:13:06,189 --> 00:13:04,190 you start pulling all that apart and 300 00:13:08,439 --> 00:13:06,199 there's all this bobbling back and forth 301 00:13:10,740 --> 00:13:08,449 hey take it one step further go to the 302 00:13:12,610 --> 00:13:10,750 near-death experience science 303 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:12,620 experiments published in peer-reviewed 304 00:13:16,689 --> 00:13:14,930 journals and now you're totally off the 305 00:13:17,590 --> 00:13:16,699 reservation there's no way we can get 306 00:13:21,129 --> 00:13:17,600 back to that 307 00:13:25,420 --> 00:13:21,139 don't be materialistic science brain 308 00:13:27,340 --> 00:13:25,430 based neurology nonsense what about what 309 00:13:30,480 --> 00:13:27,350 about that path what about it-- so my 310 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:30,490 poke at you is I don't see Phillip Gough 311 00:13:36,160 --> 00:13:33,050 parapsychology I don't see dr. Phillip 312 00:13:38,949 --> 00:13:36,170 Goff near-death experience aren't these 313 00:13:41,579 --> 00:13:38,959 probably the best examples we have of 314 00:13:47,019 --> 00:13:41,589 science that undermines this 315 00:13:50,290 --> 00:13:47,029 materialistic consciousness idea I guess 316 00:13:54,660 --> 00:13:50,300 I guess you're critiquing materialism 317 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:54,670 perhaps from a different angle I mean I 318 00:14:00,340 --> 00:13:56,810 mean my protamine I guess my 319 00:14:04,180 --> 00:14:00,350 philosophical education we were told 320 00:14:07,509 --> 00:14:04,190 that the the only options you know you 321 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:07,519 had to be a materialist or a duelist you 322 00:14:12,009 --> 00:14:10,490 had to you had to think you know like a 323 00:14:13,720 --> 00:14:12,019 materia so you could just explain 324 00:14:16,540 --> 00:14:13,730 consciousness in terms of the chemistry 325 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:16,550 of the brain oh you're a duelist and you 326 00:14:21,250 --> 00:14:19,250 think consciousness is outside of the 327 00:14:22,870 --> 00:14:21,260 physical body and brain which is maybe 328 00:14:24,460 --> 00:14:22,880 from what you've just said that more the 329 00:14:28,019 --> 00:14:24,470 direction you're a man perhaps 330 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:28,029 I guess I've always found both of these 331 00:14:33,309 --> 00:14:31,850 problematic and you know for a long time 332 00:14:34,689 --> 00:14:33,319 I was kind of disillusioned with it all 333 00:14:38,379 --> 00:14:34,699 and thought you know none of these 334 00:14:40,690 --> 00:14:38,389 options work but I guess what what I'm 335 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:40,700 just interested in is is 336 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:43,970 general picture of reality that is able 337 00:14:50,050 --> 00:14:47,930 to bring together you know what we know 338 00:14:52,290 --> 00:14:50,060 about reality from observation and 339 00:14:54,940 --> 00:14:52,300 experiment and what we know about 340 00:14:58,000 --> 00:14:54,950 consciousness from the inside as it were 341 00:15:00,040 --> 00:14:58,010 you know a general theory of reality and 342 00:15:01,690 --> 00:15:00,050 then you know obviously we want to do 343 00:15:04,180 --> 00:15:01,700 empirical work to fill out the details 344 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:04,190 and people will argue over that and you 345 00:15:13,030 --> 00:15:11,320 you know I guess the more conventional 346 00:15:14,650 --> 00:15:13,040 scientists for better or worse I don't 347 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:14,660 mean to say conventional in a positive 348 00:15:18,700 --> 00:15:16,370 or a negative way will push in the 349 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:18,710 opposite direction I want a general 350 00:15:24,840 --> 00:15:21,770 framework that can fit in consciousness 351 00:15:27,040 --> 00:15:24,850 whatever the science tells us you know 352 00:15:28,180 --> 00:15:27,050 so I guess I'm working you know 353 00:15:32,050 --> 00:15:28,190 different people work on different 354 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:32,060 things I'm working at a at that general 355 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:35,690 framework and you know part of the 356 00:15:40,330 --> 00:15:37,250 reason you know my last book the new 357 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:40,340 consciousness but man reality was a very 358 00:15:44,740 --> 00:15:42,650 academic book it's probably a bit more 359 00:15:46,870 --> 00:15:44,750 accessible than a normal academic book 360 00:15:48,970 --> 00:15:46,880 but it's still pretty you know it 361 00:15:51,010 --> 00:15:48,980 inaccessible in some ways so the the 362 00:15:53,050 --> 00:15:51,020 purpose of my new book is very different 363 00:15:55,720 --> 00:15:53,060 kind of book very much aimed at a 364 00:15:59,080 --> 00:15:55,730 general audience very much trying to get 365 00:16:00,670 --> 00:15:59,090 this general framework out there that's 366 00:16:02,770 --> 00:16:00,680 getting more known and causing a lot of 367 00:16:04,330 --> 00:16:02,780 excitement in academic philosophy for 368 00:16:07,330 --> 00:16:04,340 trying to get it out there to a broader 369 00:16:08,980 --> 00:16:07,340 audience to scientists to think is more 370 00:16:11,770 --> 00:16:08,990 broadly so that you know we can start to 371 00:16:13,630 --> 00:16:11,780 try and or fill in the details of this 372 00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:13,640 view you know bringing in more of the 373 00:16:18,250 --> 00:16:15,170 empirical science but I guess I'm 374 00:16:21,190 --> 00:16:18,260 working at that more abstract level that 375 00:16:23,770 --> 00:16:21,200 abstracts from those specificities that 376 00:16:25,570 --> 00:16:23,780 make sense maybe I'm gonna push you a 377 00:16:27,160 --> 00:16:25,580 little bit on that for a second but tell 378 00:16:30,190 --> 00:16:27,170 us about that book it sounds interesting 379 00:16:34,030 --> 00:16:30,200 Galileo's air that immediately draws us 380 00:16:38,860 --> 00:16:34,040 in what's the general premise so I guess 381 00:16:40,750 --> 00:16:38,870 the big argument is that the reason we 382 00:16:42,340 --> 00:16:40,760 have a problem of consciousness is 383 00:16:44,860 --> 00:16:42,350 because of the way 384 00:16:48,010 --> 00:16:44,870 Galileo designed physical science and 385 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:48,020 hence if we want to solve the problem of 386 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:49,370 consciousness you know we need to 387 00:16:54,190 --> 00:16:53,210 rethink what what science is so you know 388 00:16:55,660 --> 00:16:54,200 that I mean the 389 00:17:00,220 --> 00:16:55,670 key moment in the Scientific Revolution 390 00:17:02,250 --> 00:17:00,230 is when Galileo says mathematics is to 391 00:17:05,050 --> 00:17:02,260 be the language of the new science right 392 00:17:07,990 --> 00:17:05,060 and but what is that and forgotten is 393 00:17:10,750 --> 00:17:08,000 the philosophical work he had to do to 394 00:17:14,050 --> 00:17:10,760 get to that stage right because before 395 00:17:17,500 --> 00:17:14,060 Galileo people thought the world was 396 00:17:19,329 --> 00:17:17,510 full of qualities thought the physical 397 00:17:21,970 --> 00:17:19,339 world was you know they were colours on 398 00:17:24,939 --> 00:17:21,980 the surfaces of objects and smells 399 00:17:27,790 --> 00:17:24,949 floating through the air and tastes in 400 00:17:29,440 --> 00:17:27,800 food and this is a problem for Galileo 401 00:17:32,460 --> 00:17:29,450 because he wanna it's hard to see how 402 00:17:34,450 --> 00:17:32,470 you can capture these qualities in 403 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:34,460 mathematical language you know how can 404 00:17:38,530 --> 00:17:37,010 you capture what you know the redness of 405 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:38,540 red in the abstract language of 406 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:41,810 mathematics so what Galileo did and this 407 00:17:46,210 --> 00:17:43,490 is you know this is the start of modern 408 00:17:48,610 --> 00:17:46,220 science what Galileo did was he he gave 409 00:17:51,640 --> 00:17:48,620 a philosophical reinterpretation of 410 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:51,650 reality right you know he said I don't 411 00:17:55,930 --> 00:17:53,930 think those qualities are really out 412 00:17:59,230 --> 00:17:55,940 there in reality I think they're in the 413 00:18:01,270 --> 00:17:59,240 soul they're in consciousness they're 414 00:18:03,910 --> 00:18:01,280 outside of the domain of science and 415 00:18:07,540 --> 00:18:03,920 then the job of science is to focus on 416 00:18:09,370 --> 00:18:07,550 the quantitative aspects of matter what 417 00:18:11,590 --> 00:18:09,380 you can capture in mathematics eyes 418 00:18:13,150 --> 00:18:11,600 shape motion they're they're the only 419 00:18:15,910 --> 00:18:13,160 things that are really in the physical 420 00:18:20,130 --> 00:18:15,920 scientific domain so he introduces this 421 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:20,140 dualism this radical division between 422 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:23,330 you know between consciousness and its 423 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:26,810 qualities outside of science and the 424 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:30,010 quantitative mathematical physical world 425 00:18:34,270 --> 00:18:32,330 and so this is the start of mathematical 426 00:18:36,450 --> 00:18:34,280 physics and it's been you know 427 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:36,460 incredibly successful at what it does 428 00:18:42,820 --> 00:18:40,730 but you know it was never intended to be 429 00:18:46,630 --> 00:18:42,830 a complete theory of reality and it was 430 00:18:48,220 --> 00:18:46,640 always premise on taking consciousness 431 00:18:51,580 --> 00:18:48,230 in the qualities of consciousness 432 00:18:54,160 --> 00:18:51,590 outside of science and so you know if we 433 00:18:55,960 --> 00:18:54,170 need to if we if we want a complete 434 00:18:58,150 --> 00:18:55,970 theory of reality that includes 435 00:18:59,950 --> 00:18:58,160 consciousness you know we have to find a 436 00:19:01,390 --> 00:18:59,960 way of bringing it back in so I think 437 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:01,400 you know like if Galileo is to 438 00:19:05,980 --> 00:19:03,770 time-travel to the present day and hear 439 00:19:07,630 --> 00:19:05,990 about this problem of giving a physical 440 00:19:08,860 --> 00:19:07,640 explanation of consciousness 441 00:19:10,840 --> 00:19:08,870 he'd say you know of course that's 442 00:19:13,690 --> 00:19:10,850 impossible I designed science to deal 443 00:19:15,280 --> 00:19:13,700 with quantities not qualities so I think 444 00:19:16,960 --> 00:19:15,290 you know it's been the problem of 445 00:19:18,940 --> 00:19:16,970 consciousness has been written in from 446 00:19:22,180 --> 00:19:18,950 the start really so that's the kind of 447 00:19:24,940 --> 00:19:22,190 starting point of the book yeah you know 448 00:19:27,190 --> 00:19:24,950 I always point to the famous quote 449 00:19:28,930 --> 00:19:27,200 that's attributed to Richard Feynman but 450 00:19:32,800 --> 00:19:28,940 I think it was actually someone else but 451 00:19:34,900 --> 00:19:32,810 you know in the early 1900's when the 452 00:19:37,570 --> 00:19:34,910 great quantum physicists are really 453 00:19:39,250 --> 00:19:37,580 trying to solve that problem and they 454 00:19:43,060 --> 00:19:39,260 get to it and they go hey you know what 455 00:19:45,820 --> 00:19:43,070 we can't its consciousness there's there 456 00:19:48,700 --> 00:19:45,830 we've run right up against the wall of 457 00:19:51,580 --> 00:19:48,710 consciousness right and then find Minh 458 00:19:53,170 --> 00:19:51,590 and his group go off and say the shut up 459 00:19:55,750 --> 00:19:53,180 and calculate things do you know that 460 00:19:59,050 --> 00:19:55,760 story where they just kind of go yeah so 461 00:20:02,800 --> 00:19:59,060 shut up and calculate to me is what we 462 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:02,810 live in now and what the right the only 463 00:20:08,170 --> 00:20:05,570 the only problem with that is that we 464 00:20:10,540 --> 00:20:08,180 kind of ignore the fact that we took a 465 00:20:13,150 --> 00:20:10,550 philosophical side step to the problem 466 00:20:15,220 --> 00:20:13,160 right so we we ran into the wall and we 467 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:15,230 said okay it's perfectly fine to say 468 00:20:19,030 --> 00:20:17,090 well we'll just step around it for now 469 00:20:21,460 --> 00:20:19,040 and see what kind of iPhones we can make 470 00:20:23,740 --> 00:20:21,470 out of this but then you do have to come 471 00:20:26,070 --> 00:20:23,750 back at some point and go we did kind of 472 00:20:28,690 --> 00:20:26,080 sidestep the fact that none of this 473 00:20:30,700 --> 00:20:28,700 really makes any sense from a 474 00:20:32,890 --> 00:20:30,710 measurement standpoint and that's where 475 00:20:36,910 --> 00:20:32,900 I guess I feel like we're still kind of 476 00:20:39,790 --> 00:20:36,920 tiptoeing around the dilemma with 477 00:20:42,010 --> 00:20:39,800 science in general and I'm not even 478 00:20:44,980 --> 00:20:42,020 willing to concede that you know we have 479 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:44,990 to compartmentalize it here there if we 480 00:20:51,390 --> 00:20:48,410 can't measure then science is out of 481 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:51,400 business and everything we know about 482 00:20:57,700 --> 00:20:54,410 quantum physics tells us that at the 483 00:21:00,610 --> 00:20:57,710 fundamental level that we know of we are 484 00:21:04,390 --> 00:21:00,620 no longer able to really measure things 485 00:21:07,030 --> 00:21:04,400 so I just wonder if if we're really 486 00:21:08,890 --> 00:21:07,040 there and I listened to your interview 487 00:21:11,190 --> 00:21:08,900 your excellent interview with Michael 488 00:21:13,150 --> 00:21:11,200 Shermer and I sent you a copy of my 489 00:21:16,390 --> 00:21:13,160 interview with Michael Shermer who is 490 00:21:19,770 --> 00:21:16,400 one of my favorite favorite frenemies in 491 00:21:21,640 --> 00:21:19,780 this whole thing because he sounds so 492 00:21:23,890 --> 00:21:21,650 brilliant and yet 493 00:21:26,230 --> 00:21:23,900 it's total gobbly what he says and 494 00:21:28,510 --> 00:21:26,240 when you push it to any degree it just 495 00:21:30,430 --> 00:21:28,520 doesn't hold up it doesn't make any 496 00:21:33,460 --> 00:21:30,440 sense it's like listening to Neil 497 00:21:36,250 --> 00:21:33,470 deGrasse Tyson talk about consciousness 498 00:21:39,220 --> 00:21:36,260 it's just silliness I mean it just 499 00:21:42,070 --> 00:21:39,230 doesn't make any sense so I guess one of 500 00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:42,080 the questions I posed is is this worth 501 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:44,690 saving can this be recovered in the way 502 00:21:49,810 --> 00:21:47,170 that you're talking about or is this 503 00:21:51,610 --> 00:21:49,820 fundamental shift that we're talking 504 00:21:53,170 --> 00:21:51,620 about really lead us in a whole 505 00:21:55,450 --> 00:21:53,180 different direction and I guess I'd have 506 00:21:58,960 --> 00:21:55,460 to add one more problem is I always feel 507 00:22:00,760 --> 00:21:58,970 like philosophers and philosophy at this 508 00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:00,770 point you know philosophy supposed to be 509 00:22:05,470 --> 00:22:02,570 keen philosophy supposed to be on top 510 00:22:08,140 --> 00:22:05,480 and I think they've been pushed down for 511 00:22:11,290 --> 00:22:08,150 so long that they're kind of careful 512 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:11,300 about saying these kind of things like 513 00:22:15,340 --> 00:22:14,090 hey you guys are all nincompoops what 514 00:22:17,160 --> 00:22:15,350 you're saying doesn't make any sense 515 00:22:19,390 --> 00:22:17,170 consciousness is an illusion is 516 00:22:21,010 --> 00:22:19,400 laughable to a first-grader 517 00:22:24,010 --> 00:22:21,020 if you went and said you know your 518 00:22:26,590 --> 00:22:24,020 entire experience of your mom your dad 519 00:22:28,570 --> 00:22:26,600 your classmates your family that's all 520 00:22:31,300 --> 00:22:28,580 an illusion they would laugh in your 521 00:22:33,460 --> 00:22:31,310 face and yet we sit around and have 522 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:33,470 conferences where we debate this you 523 00:22:37,660 --> 00:22:35,690 know and Sam Harris and Chalmers are 524 00:22:39,490 --> 00:22:37,670 sitting there well do you think Dan 525 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:39,500 Dennett really believes that I mean 526 00:22:50,260 --> 00:22:41,890 we're giving legitimacy to just these 527 00:22:52,780 --> 00:22:50,270 wildly insane ideas yeah does people who 528 00:22:55,630 --> 00:22:52,790 deny the existence of consciousness yeah 529 00:22:57,760 --> 00:22:55,640 I mean a very close friend of me to use 530 00:22:59,650 --> 00:22:57,770 the same term on Keith frankish who's a 531 00:23:03,280 --> 00:22:59,660 philosopher who's very good friend of 532 00:23:05,350 --> 00:23:03,290 mine a very warm empathetic guy very 533 00:23:08,020 --> 00:23:05,360 kind cares about the world but he 534 00:23:09,700 --> 00:23:08,030 doesn't think consciousness exists it 535 00:23:12,220 --> 00:23:09,710 was incredible to me that it you know in 536 00:23:16,090 --> 00:23:12,230 a sense he thinks you know no one has 537 00:23:19,140 --> 00:23:16,100 ever really felt pain or no so I guess 538 00:23:22,660 --> 00:23:19,150 I'm how do people get to that position 539 00:23:25,330 --> 00:23:22,670 and I think one of the big problems in 540 00:23:28,090 --> 00:23:25,340 that position that I often put to keep 541 00:23:29,470 --> 00:23:28,100 is you know all of cut all of scientific 542 00:23:31,450 --> 00:23:29,480 knowledge is mediated through 543 00:23:35,590 --> 00:23:31,460 consciousness right New York you only 544 00:23:38,110 --> 00:23:35,600 know that electrons because you have 545 00:23:39,910 --> 00:23:38,120 you know conscious experiences of cloud 546 00:23:43,420 --> 00:23:39,920 chambers and things you know you only 547 00:23:45,340 --> 00:23:43,430 know any scientific experimental data 548 00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:45,350 because you have conscious experience of 549 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:49,370 your instruments you know so in a way 550 00:23:53,140 --> 00:23:51,530 thinking that you could have scientific 551 00:23:55,390 --> 00:23:53,150 evidence the consciousness doesn't exist 552 00:23:56,890 --> 00:23:55,400 is a bit like thinking astronomy can 553 00:23:59,860 --> 00:23:56,900 tell us that there aren't any telescopes 554 00:24:02,650 --> 00:23:59,870 you know or it's like it's kind of like 555 00:24:04,030 --> 00:24:02,660 another analogy it's like believing 556 00:24:05,530 --> 00:24:04,040 someone who tells you that they never 557 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:05,540 tell the truth you know it's sort of 558 00:24:10,210 --> 00:24:06,650 self-defeating 559 00:24:13,300 --> 00:24:10,220 so I think there is you know I always 560 00:24:15,960 --> 00:24:13,310 think of that Albert Albert Camus quote 561 00:24:19,840 --> 00:24:15,970 there's only one philosophical question 562 00:24:22,300 --> 00:24:19,850 suicide so I mean if you really believe 563 00:24:24,580 --> 00:24:22,310 I mean it I don't mean to to be too 564 00:24:26,260 --> 00:24:24,590 harsh on that and I'm not sure you know 565 00:24:28,030 --> 00:24:26,270 exactly how he meant it but the way it's 566 00:24:32,170 --> 00:24:28,040 interpreted I think is beautiful which 567 00:24:35,410 --> 00:24:32,180 is if you really believe that there is 568 00:24:38,500 --> 00:24:35,420 no such thing is your experience then 569 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:38,510 you're living in a complete worthless 570 00:24:43,750 --> 00:24:41,210 meaningless existence and you can't even 571 00:24:45,700 --> 00:24:43,760 cop out by saying well you know maybe my 572 00:24:47,050 --> 00:24:45,710 kids will be different no there's none 573 00:24:50,200 --> 00:24:47,060 of it you know that why would you 574 00:24:52,120 --> 00:24:50,210 persist in the game you know yeah it's 575 00:24:53,530 --> 00:24:52,130 it's very hard to get in the mindset of 576 00:24:54,970 --> 00:24:53,540 but people say about quite a big 577 00:24:58,840 --> 00:24:54,980 philosophy of the 20th century 578 00:25:02,590 --> 00:24:58,850 Quine was a huge influence and yeah 579 00:25:03,910 --> 00:25:02,600 people he kind of famously towards the 580 00:25:05,590 --> 00:25:03,920 end of these pretty much denied the 581 00:25:07,930 --> 00:25:05,600 reality conscious consciousness but then 582 00:25:11,380 --> 00:25:07,940 people said actually when you read his 583 00:25:15,730 --> 00:25:11,390 autobiography just about his life and it 584 00:25:18,700 --> 00:25:15,740 seemed like he was startlingly lacking 585 00:25:21,610 --> 00:25:18,710 in introspection you know he never seems 586 00:25:24,630 --> 00:25:21,620 to mention anything subjective so maybe 587 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:24,640 in a sense he somehow wasn't aware or he 588 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:26,930 didn't attend to consciousness very 589 00:25:31,840 --> 00:25:29,930 often but uh so yeah I think he famously 590 00:25:33,460 --> 00:25:31,850 said actually if there's such a thing as 591 00:25:34,120 --> 00:25:33,470 consciousness I'm not conscious of it or 592 00:25:36,970 --> 00:25:34,130 something 593 00:25:38,740 --> 00:25:36,980 witty thing like anyway but you know why 594 00:25:40,600 --> 00:25:38,750 are people led to that I think is the 595 00:25:42,010 --> 00:25:40,610 question we need to ask now I get into 596 00:25:43,900 --> 00:25:42,020 the about the detail techie 597 00:25:45,880 --> 00:25:43,910 philosophical arguments but at the end 598 00:25:48,050 --> 00:25:45,890 of the day they don't really convince 599 00:25:50,030 --> 00:25:48,060 people you got it you got to get the big 600 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:50,040 and narrative why people are in that 601 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:51,330 mindset and that's really what I'm 602 00:25:55,370 --> 00:25:52,890 trying to do with this new book that's 603 00:25:57,080 --> 00:25:55,380 why it's framed in terms of going back 604 00:25:59,210 --> 00:25:57,090 to the start of the Scientific 605 00:26:02,980 --> 00:25:59,220 Revolution because I think people have 606 00:26:05,420 --> 00:26:02,990 this idea what why is Keith Frankish or 607 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:05,430 other people Daniel Dennett led to that 608 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:08,130 because they're blown away by how 609 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:10,170 successful science is you ain't got 610 00:26:14,540 --> 00:26:12,330 lights and hair dryers and men on the 611 00:26:17,150 --> 00:26:14,550 moon and they you know they're impressed 612 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:17,160 by that and it is impressive but it's 613 00:26:21,200 --> 00:26:19,530 drawing the right moral from that so 614 00:26:23,690 --> 00:26:21,210 they think oh it's it's so impressive 615 00:26:26,510 --> 00:26:23,700 that must mean it can tell us everything 616 00:26:28,070 --> 00:26:26,520 whereas I say it's so impressive because 617 00:26:30,230 --> 00:26:28,080 it was never supposed to tell us 618 00:26:32,930 --> 00:26:30,240 everything because it was always focused 619 00:26:34,940 --> 00:26:32,940 on this very narrow task and I think it 620 00:26:37,550 --> 00:26:34,950 you know he can persuade people of that 621 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:37,560 narrative you know that that big picture 622 00:26:42,710 --> 00:26:39,810 of yes physical sides has been 623 00:26:45,700 --> 00:26:42,720 successful book do you enjoy a different 624 00:26:49,670 --> 00:26:45,710 implication from its can start to change 625 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:49,680 but yeah I don't think I agree with you 626 00:26:52,310 --> 00:26:50,730 that I don't want to take these people 627 00:26:56,120 --> 00:26:52,320 seriously though right you know I think 628 00:26:57,890 --> 00:26:56,130 I think there's I don't know these 629 00:27:02,030 --> 00:26:57,900 questions apart these questions are very 630 00:27:04,250 --> 00:27:02,040 abstract I'm happy for all sorts of 631 00:27:07,610 --> 00:27:04,260 people to defend all sorts of different 632 00:27:10,940 --> 00:27:07,620 things and you know see where we end up 633 00:27:13,430 --> 00:27:10,950 okay let me kind of come at it a 634 00:27:15,290 --> 00:27:13,440 different way cuz I don't disagree with 635 00:27:18,290 --> 00:27:15,300 you on that and and I certainly agree 636 00:27:20,540 --> 00:27:18,300 with you that the the accomplishments of 637 00:27:22,970 --> 00:27:20,550 engineering over the last century 638 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:22,980 certainly are mind-blowing and you just 639 00:27:26,510 --> 00:27:25,170 can't get past them and they are 640 00:27:28,700 --> 00:27:26,520 overwhelming but I think there's two 641 00:27:30,890 --> 00:27:28,710 other things at play that we have to 642 00:27:32,960 --> 00:27:30,900 consider I would I think they're at play 643 00:27:36,410 --> 00:27:32,970 and we can talk about whether they are 644 00:27:39,590 --> 00:27:36,420 or not but one is our understanding of 645 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:39,600 consciousness this limited understanding 646 00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:43,170 this an income poopourri about 647 00:27:48,880 --> 00:27:45,690 consciousness as a social engineering 648 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:48,890 project so I sent you a link right 649 00:27:52,910 --> 00:27:51,210 before the show on I apologize for not 650 00:27:54,500 --> 00:27:52,920 sending it you too too far in advance 651 00:27:56,780 --> 00:27:54,510 but I didn't think about it but there's 652 00:27:59,870 --> 00:27:56,790 recently been a huge dump of CIA 653 00:28:01,370 --> 00:27:59,880 documents related to their projects 654 00:28:04,100 --> 00:28:01,380 related to 655 00:28:05,300 --> 00:28:04,110 psychic spying Project Star Gate which 656 00:28:08,180 --> 00:28:05,310 we've talked a lot about on this show 657 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:08,190 but other projects as well grill flame 658 00:28:11,330 --> 00:28:09,450 and there's all these other ones the 659 00:28:14,630 --> 00:28:11,340 minutes the men that stare at goats 660 00:28:18,530 --> 00:28:14,640 thing the point of all that is that for 661 00:28:21,170 --> 00:28:18,540 the last 50 years those organizations 662 00:28:24,410 --> 00:28:21,180 and operations both in the US and in 663 00:28:25,670 --> 00:28:24,420 other countries have never have gone way 664 00:28:28,220 --> 00:28:25,680 past all this 665 00:28:30,530 --> 00:28:28,230 well that's silliness of course we know 666 00:28:33,530 --> 00:28:30,540 that consciousness is real we know that 667 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:33,540 extended consciousness in these ways 668 00:28:39,710 --> 00:28:36,450 that science clearly can't understand we 669 00:28:41,630 --> 00:28:39,720 know that's real so is there a game a 670 00:28:44,930 --> 00:28:41,640 little bit of gaming of this system 671 00:28:48,190 --> 00:28:44,940 going on let's let all these folks just 672 00:28:51,650 --> 00:28:48,200 go along with that idea and let's not 673 00:28:53,870 --> 00:28:51,660 necessarily introduce this new idea to 674 00:28:56,330 --> 00:28:53,880 the general public and that is that we 675 00:28:59,600 --> 00:28:56,340 know that consciousness is much more 676 00:29:03,320 --> 00:28:59,610 expansive so let's start there is there 677 00:29:05,930 --> 00:29:03,330 potentially a social engineering aspect 678 00:29:08,840 --> 00:29:05,940 to our limited understanding of 679 00:29:13,550 --> 00:29:08,850 consciousness that's a very interesting 680 00:29:15,910 --> 00:29:13,560 proposition it's not I guess in I I 681 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:15,920 spent a lot of time arguing with 682 00:29:19,850 --> 00:29:18,210 materialists and people who don't 683 00:29:22,340 --> 00:29:19,860 believe in consciousness and people who 684 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:22,350 have waited to use me I guess I ain't 685 00:29:28,430 --> 00:29:25,530 really persuaded that people actually 686 00:29:30,020 --> 00:29:28,440 believe that and and I think I 687 00:29:32,540 --> 00:29:30,030 understand why they believe that it's 688 00:29:34,420 --> 00:29:32,550 something to do with being blown away by 689 00:29:37,370 --> 00:29:34,430 the success of Technology or something 690 00:29:38,980 --> 00:29:37,380 so you're saying now that that just to 691 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:38,990 be clear I mean the two are not mutually 692 00:29:43,940 --> 00:29:40,890 exclusive I mean the way social 693 00:29:46,430 --> 00:29:43,950 engineering works is we do not let the 694 00:29:48,350 --> 00:29:46,440 game play and we just lay down the 695 00:29:50,750 --> 00:29:48,360 cheese where we want the rats to go in 696 00:29:51,380 --> 00:29:50,760 the maze so you know in academia it's 697 00:29:53,060 --> 00:29:51,390 really easy 698 00:29:55,220 --> 00:29:53,070 who gets the grants who gets promoted 699 00:29:57,590 --> 00:29:55,230 who doesn't get promoted who doesn't get 700 00:29:59,240 --> 00:29:57,600 tenure and they get pruned off the tree 701 00:30:00,530 --> 00:29:59,250 and at the end of the day you wind up 702 00:30:02,990 --> 00:30:00,540 with what we have now 703 00:30:05,270 --> 00:30:03,000 you know we wind up with with you 704 00:30:06,529 --> 00:30:05,280 arguing with who's the kind of religion 705 00:30:08,959 --> 00:30:06,539 guy that 706 00:30:11,089 --> 00:30:08,969 Jerry Coyne it winds up with you 707 00:30:13,249 --> 00:30:11,099 debating with Jerry Coyne which again I 708 00:30:15,979 --> 00:30:13,259 I know I people pushback when I say this 709 00:30:18,649 --> 00:30:15,989 but he's just really incompetent I mean 710 00:30:20,569 --> 00:30:18,659 I've had him on the show and he just 711 00:30:22,459 --> 00:30:20,579 blows like you pointed out in your 712 00:30:25,489 --> 00:30:22,469 debate with him he just gets major 713 00:30:25,969 --> 00:30:25,499 things wrong that he's supposed to know 714 00:30:28,839 --> 00:30:25,979 about 715 00:30:30,859 --> 00:30:28,849 and yet he's put forward and propped up 716 00:30:33,349 --> 00:30:30,869 University of Chicago been around 717 00:30:34,609 --> 00:30:33,359 forever and this goes on and on so that 718 00:30:36,939 --> 00:30:34,619 that's the social engineering project 719 00:30:39,859 --> 00:30:36,949 not that people don't legitimately 720 00:30:42,559 --> 00:30:39,869 believe you know they believe it's just 721 00:30:45,109 --> 00:30:42,569 that the people who are really thinking 722 00:30:47,689 --> 00:30:45,119 this thing through are not presented as 723 00:30:49,369 --> 00:30:47,699 credible clean might be good I don't 724 00:30:50,539 --> 00:30:49,379 know in particularly his work but I 725 00:30:52,669 --> 00:30:50,549 guess he might be good at what he's 726 00:30:54,979 --> 00:30:52,679 doing like I mean you know like Dawkins 727 00:30:56,719 --> 00:30:54,989 and Tyson and these people I mean as far 728 00:30:58,669 --> 00:30:56,729 as I know I'm you know I'm not an expert 729 00:31:00,709 --> 00:30:58,679 in their field but I think you know 730 00:31:04,789 --> 00:31:00,719 they're good at what they're doing but 731 00:31:06,739 --> 00:31:04,799 they get a platform to speak on issues 732 00:31:09,769 --> 00:31:06,749 why are we have to side a barrier 733 00:31:12,139 --> 00:31:09,779 expertise and I think that's part of 734 00:31:16,339 --> 00:31:12,149 this not understanding what philosophy 735 00:31:19,099 --> 00:31:16,349 is you know this scientistic culture and 736 00:31:22,459 --> 00:31:19,109 I guess look I'll read the things you 737 00:31:26,119 --> 00:31:22,469 sent I haven't I hadn't you know at time 738 00:31:27,949 --> 00:31:26,129 you know it since without reading those 739 00:31:29,839 --> 00:31:27,959 Philip in general you want you 740 00:31:31,729 --> 00:31:29,849 understand the proposition is that this 741 00:31:34,849 --> 00:31:31,739 stuff goes on like so the remote viewing 742 00:31:36,709 --> 00:31:34,859 research this the MKULTRA research is 743 00:31:38,809 --> 00:31:36,719 all about consciousness so all this 744 00:31:41,180 --> 00:31:38,819 stuff has been going on for 50 years at 745 00:31:44,680 --> 00:31:41,190 this deep level of consciousness that 746 00:31:47,239 --> 00:31:44,690 totally is stands in contrast to 747 00:31:50,209 --> 00:31:47,249 academic understanding of consciousness 748 00:31:53,299 --> 00:31:50,219 I just don't love to look into it I mean 749 00:31:56,569 --> 00:31:53,309 I guess I feel like I have a decent 750 00:31:59,930 --> 00:31:56,579 explanation of why people like Jerry 751 00:32:01,849 --> 00:31:59,940 Cohen like Tyson are believing the 752 00:32:04,759 --> 00:32:01,859 things they believe even though to my 753 00:32:05,899 --> 00:32:04,769 mind they seem crazy and so but then 754 00:32:09,619 --> 00:32:05,909 you're now telling me that this other 755 00:32:11,839 --> 00:32:09,629 explanation involving things that are 756 00:32:13,609 --> 00:32:11,849 just generally accepted that it's sort 757 00:32:14,989 --> 00:32:13,619 of being hidden or something I mean I 758 00:32:20,000 --> 00:32:14,999 guess I just have to look into that I 759 00:32:22,580 --> 00:32:20,010 just I I guess I it's not something I 760 00:32:26,060 --> 00:32:22,590 I had a great deal of experience though 761 00:32:27,769 --> 00:32:26,070 so yeah I don't know what there is 762 00:32:29,769 --> 00:32:27,779 really to look into what well I mean 763 00:32:32,779 --> 00:32:29,779 because we'll never know right I mean 764 00:32:34,789 --> 00:32:32,789 we'll never know to what to what extent 765 00:32:37,070 --> 00:32:34,799 these people are propped up or to what 766 00:32:39,289 --> 00:32:37,080 extent there's another agenda to me it's 767 00:32:41,330 --> 00:32:39,299 kind of like back to the parapsychology 768 00:32:43,310 --> 00:32:41,340 and near-death experience science stuff 769 00:32:46,519 --> 00:32:43,320 you know like near-death experience 770 00:32:49,120 --> 00:32:46,529 science at this point over 200 papers 771 00:32:52,549 --> 00:32:49,130 published in peer-reviewed journals a 772 00:32:56,149 --> 00:32:52,559 literal almost complete consensus among 773 00:32:58,159 --> 00:32:56,159 people researchers mainly in the medical 774 00:33:01,820 --> 00:32:58,169 field who studied near-death experience 775 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:01,830 a yep by the best way we can look at the 776 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:03,450 data the only way we can look at the 777 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:05,610 data consciousness seems to survive 778 00:33:10,129 --> 00:33:08,250 bodily death and if you're not 779 00:33:13,220 --> 00:33:10,139 comfortable with bodily death it seems 780 00:33:15,049 --> 00:33:13,230 to survive these brain states that we do 781 00:33:19,159 --> 00:33:15,059 not understand how they could possibly 782 00:33:21,889 --> 00:33:19,169 produce consciousness so you know we're 783 00:33:23,740 --> 00:33:21,899 in no-man's land here it doesn't make 784 00:33:28,240 --> 00:33:23,750 sense to come back and talk about 785 00:33:31,250 --> 00:33:28,250 neuroscience quote-unquote until that 786 00:33:33,889 --> 00:33:31,260 problem if you will or that question is 787 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:33,899 resolved and yet we continue to do that 788 00:33:37,940 --> 00:33:35,970 and not only that there's this huge 789 00:33:40,129 --> 00:33:37,950 backlash which on one hand is 790 00:33:42,350 --> 00:33:40,139 understandable that you know anything 791 00:33:46,039 --> 00:33:42,360 that's gonna totally change the paradigm 792 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:46,049 and cause you to lose your long history 793 00:33:50,810 --> 00:33:47,850 of research is going to be rebelled 794 00:33:58,730 --> 00:33:50,820 against but they're all the same to me 795 00:34:00,470 --> 00:33:58,740 I'm whether they're very related so at 796 00:34:04,850 --> 00:34:00,480 the end of the day what neuroscience 797 00:34:06,759 --> 00:34:04,860 gives you correlations between certain 798 00:34:09,079 --> 00:34:06,769 things happening in the brain and 799 00:34:11,180 --> 00:34:09,089 certain thing and certain kinds of 800 00:34:13,280 --> 00:34:11,190 conscious experience you know so you can 801 00:34:15,319 --> 00:34:13,290 scan people's brain and you can ask them 802 00:34:17,569 --> 00:34:15,329 how they're feeling and we can get some 803 00:34:20,540 --> 00:34:17,579 data about correlations and then we can 804 00:34:21,919 --> 00:34:20,550 start to think about that I take it well 805 00:34:23,389 --> 00:34:21,929 I'll ask you in a minute I mean I take 806 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:23,399 it maybe you can agree with that 807 00:34:29,720 --> 00:34:25,770 understanding of your aside and maybe 808 00:34:32,869 --> 00:34:29,730 maybe you disagree but so I just think 809 00:34:33,669 --> 00:34:32,879 that's completely neutral on any sort of 810 00:34:35,770 --> 00:34:33,679 philosophic 811 00:34:37,119 --> 00:34:35,780 theoria consciousness because i mean 812 00:34:39,430 --> 00:34:37,129 that people have this idea that 813 00:34:42,790 --> 00:34:39,440 neuroscience is supporting materialism 814 00:34:45,790 --> 00:34:42,800 but and your your querying that from one 815 00:34:48,669 --> 00:34:45,800 angle but actually it's a non-starter 816 00:34:52,690 --> 00:34:48,679 anyway because neuroscience just gives 817 00:34:53,980 --> 00:34:52,700 you correlations at best let's say and 818 00:34:56,559 --> 00:34:53,990 that's not a theory of consciousness 819 00:34:58,390 --> 00:34:56,569 right because to get a theory of 820 00:35:01,720 --> 00:34:58,400 consciousness we want to explain those 821 00:35:04,510 --> 00:35:01,730 correlations you know why is it that you 822 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:04,520 know certain things going on in the 823 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:06,890 brain sometimes at least correspond to 824 00:35:10,540 --> 00:35:09,050 consciousness certain conscious states 825 00:35:11,980 --> 00:35:10,550 know the dualist can give one 826 00:35:13,720 --> 00:35:11,990 explanation the materialists given 827 00:35:15,730 --> 00:35:13,730 over-the-pants I kissed my own favorite 828 00:35:18,430 --> 00:35:15,740 you can give another and we can fight 829 00:35:19,690 --> 00:35:18,440 over it but but neuroscience in itself I 830 00:35:21,640 --> 00:35:19,700 would just say it's neutral so I don't 831 00:35:22,870 --> 00:35:21,650 think you meter so I would say back to 832 00:35:24,150 --> 00:35:22,880 you I guess I don't think you need to 833 00:35:27,910 --> 00:35:24,160 worry about neuroscience because 834 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:27,920 properly understood it's just neutral 835 00:35:31,900 --> 00:35:30,410 data right it's not a theory it's not it 836 00:35:32,710 --> 00:35:31,910 doesn't depend on materialism or 837 00:35:34,660 --> 00:35:32,720 anything like that 838 00:35:37,380 --> 00:35:34,670 yeah but that's not what neuroscience 839 00:35:39,460 --> 00:35:37,390 thinks that's not what neuroscience 840 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:39,470 neuroscience is built in on the idea 841 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:42,530 that consciousness is a property of the 842 00:35:47,200 --> 00:35:45,170 brain it's an epiphenomena than I don't 843 00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:47,210 agree I think who are you pointing to I 844 00:35:53,500 --> 00:35:51,170 mean I you know Sam Harris who I mean 845 00:35:55,450 --> 00:35:53,510 all the people I've interviewed but it 846 00:35:57,359 --> 00:35:55,460 put that aside for a second because a 847 00:35:59,890 --> 00:35:57,369 near-death experience 848 00:36:01,180 --> 00:35:59,900 we're totally off reservation on that 849 00:36:03,549 --> 00:36:01,190 right because we no longer have those 850 00:36:04,990 --> 00:36:03,559 correlates we have consciousness and we 851 00:36:08,260 --> 00:36:05,000 no longer have the correlates right 852 00:36:10,630 --> 00:36:08,270 right so the brain is now measurably 853 00:36:12,700 --> 00:36:10,640 dead by the way that we define it and 854 00:36:16,059 --> 00:36:12,710 people are having these profound 855 00:36:18,130 --> 00:36:16,069 conscious experiences and we know that 856 00:36:21,430 --> 00:36:18,140 because when we carefully study it 857 00:36:23,380 --> 00:36:21,440 they're recalling things more 858 00:36:24,910 --> 00:36:23,390 significantly than people that don't 859 00:36:28,180 --> 00:36:24,920 have near-death experiences and 860 00:36:30,059 --> 00:36:28,190 impossibly if it's true things that 861 00:36:33,130 --> 00:36:30,069 occurred when their brain was 862 00:36:34,510 --> 00:36:33,140 essentially dead so if the whole thing 863 00:36:37,450 --> 00:36:34,520 is shattered I just don't think we can 864 00:36:39,819 --> 00:36:37,460 put all the pieces back together so two 865 00:36:41,530 --> 00:36:39,829 things I guess I mean one thing you know 866 00:36:42,910 --> 00:36:41,540 this might sound like a pedantic point 867 00:36:45,130 --> 00:36:42,920 but I don't think that challenges in 868 00:36:46,470 --> 00:36:45,140 neuroscience you know I think that 869 00:36:49,020 --> 00:36:46,480 challenges 870 00:36:51,510 --> 00:36:49,030 certain theories that people might 871 00:36:54,330 --> 00:36:51,520 extract from neuroscience they might say 872 00:36:55,859 --> 00:36:54,340 no they might say that they think you 873 00:36:57,599 --> 00:36:55,869 know consciousness is never like you're 874 00:36:59,849 --> 00:36:57,609 just giving a different area of the 875 00:37:01,560 --> 00:36:59,859 correlations you're saying sometimes you 876 00:37:03,030 --> 00:37:01,570 have consciousness when you don't have 877 00:37:05,910 --> 00:37:03,040 anything in the brain so that's a 878 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:05,920 different kind of view of the empirical 879 00:37:09,900 --> 00:37:07,810 equipment but you know the neuroscience 880 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:09,910 is I would say it's neutral on that yeah 881 00:37:13,109 --> 00:37:11,290 I think you could say I'm firing 882 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:13,119 neuroscience I just disagree with 883 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:16,450 materialism which some people I guess 884 00:37:20,760 --> 00:37:19,210 many neuroscientists are materialists 885 00:37:22,859 --> 00:37:20,770 but I want to say that separate from 886 00:37:24,390 --> 00:37:22,869 their what they're officially doing is 887 00:37:25,859 --> 00:37:24,400 neuroscientists which is building 888 00:37:27,870 --> 00:37:25,869 correlations I think you know you could 889 00:37:30,210 --> 00:37:27,880 agree even if you think consciousness 890 00:37:31,560 --> 00:37:30,220 can exist outside of a brain you can 891 00:37:33,750 --> 00:37:31,570 still agree that you know there are many 892 00:37:35,820 --> 00:37:33,760 correlations like feelings of hunger 893 00:37:37,830 --> 00:37:35,830 tend to be correlated with you know 894 00:37:38,970 --> 00:37:37,840 certain bits of the brain and so on so I 895 00:37:40,590 --> 00:37:38,980 don't think you need to deny your 896 00:37:43,530 --> 00:37:40,600 assigned anyway that's maybe a slightly 897 00:37:45,240 --> 00:37:43,540 pedantic point though I it's good I like 898 00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:45,250 it I just I just looked up on our 899 00:37:49,890 --> 00:37:47,530 friends at Wikipedia the most untrusted 900 00:37:52,590 --> 00:37:49,900 source on the Internet neuroscience the 901 00:37:55,609 --> 00:37:52,600 understanding of the biological basis of 902 00:37:59,670 --> 00:37:55,619 learning memory behavior perception and 903 00:38:02,609 --> 00:37:59,680 consciousness described as the ultimate 904 00:38:07,010 --> 00:38:02,619 challenge of biological sciences no I 905 00:38:10,170 --> 00:38:07,020 think these guys claim that they are 906 00:38:12,120 --> 00:38:10,180 understanding the biological basis of 907 00:38:14,370 --> 00:38:12,130 consciousness along with learning memory 908 00:38:16,950 --> 00:38:14,380 behavior and everything else well I mean 909 00:38:18,690 --> 00:38:16,960 that way of describing it is in tension 910 00:38:20,400 --> 00:38:18,700 with how I think of neuroscience or 911 00:38:22,770 --> 00:38:20,410 maybe there's a fight out here over what 912 00:38:23,190 --> 00:38:22,780 neuroscience is I you know I would call 913 00:38:28,700 --> 00:38:23,200 neuro 914 00:38:31,520 --> 00:38:28,710 up-to-date as possible but you know 915 00:38:33,570 --> 00:38:31,530 conscious consciousness itself is 916 00:38:35,970 --> 00:38:33,580 unobservable you know you can't look 917 00:38:37,590 --> 00:38:35,980 inside I've never had anyone deny that 918 00:38:39,330 --> 00:38:37,600 who believes in consciousness you can't 919 00:38:41,460 --> 00:38:39,340 look inside someone's head and see their 920 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:41,470 feelings and experiences all the 921 00:38:45,359 --> 00:38:43,210 neuroscientists can do is see what's 922 00:38:47,310 --> 00:38:45,369 going on in the brain and so it seems to 923 00:38:49,470 --> 00:38:47,320 me to follow from that but really what 924 00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:49,480 what they're accessing if you're just 925 00:38:53,820 --> 00:38:51,970 focusing on what they can get up through 926 00:38:57,210 --> 00:38:53,830 observation it seems to me all they can 927 00:38:59,760 --> 00:38:57,220 get as correlations they might then you 928 00:39:03,210 --> 00:38:59,770 know take themselves to offer some 929 00:39:05,220 --> 00:39:03,220 the area of you know how consciousness 930 00:39:07,200 --> 00:39:05,230 is explained in terms of brain processes 931 00:39:10,440 --> 00:39:07,210 and I you know I would question that on 932 00:39:12,150 --> 00:39:10,450 philosophical grounds but yeah I mean 933 00:39:13,410 --> 00:39:12,160 maybe maybe there's a fight here that 934 00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:13,420 needs to be had Oh over what 935 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:19,170 neurosciences but uh yeah look I guess 936 00:39:25,470 --> 00:39:23,530 we're both challenging materialism from 937 00:39:27,570 --> 00:39:25,480 different angles right you're 938 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:27,580 challenging it on empirical grounds 939 00:39:32,190 --> 00:39:30,010 you're saying there's this evidence but 940 00:39:33,510 --> 00:39:32,200 it's false you know I don't know about 941 00:39:35,940 --> 00:39:33,520 that that's not something I've looked 942 00:39:37,290 --> 00:39:35,950 into a great deal you know you can send 943 00:39:39,270 --> 00:39:37,300 me stuff on it and I'll look into it and 944 00:39:41,910 --> 00:39:39,280 think about it I guess I'm challenging 945 00:39:45,500 --> 00:39:41,920 it on on on philosophical grounds I just 946 00:39:49,470 --> 00:39:45,510 think for me the essential issue is that 947 00:39:51,890 --> 00:39:49,480 consciousness is a purely sorry physical 948 00:39:55,380 --> 00:39:51,900 science works with a purely quantitative 949 00:39:57,420 --> 00:39:55,390 vocabulary whereas consciousness is an 950 00:39:59,970 --> 00:39:57,430 essentially qualitative phenomenon it 951 00:40:02,280 --> 00:39:59,980 involves qualities the redness of a red 952 00:40:04,980 --> 00:40:02,290 experience you know the smell of coffee 953 00:40:08,190 --> 00:40:04,990 the taste of men and it you can't 954 00:40:09,990 --> 00:40:08,200 capture those kind of qualities in the 955 00:40:11,940 --> 00:40:10,000 purely quantitative of Cabul area 956 00:40:14,270 --> 00:40:11,950 physical science so I think you know 957 00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:14,280 that I think really materialism in 958 00:40:20,190 --> 00:40:17,050 incoherent on philosophical grounds 959 00:40:22,080 --> 00:40:20,200 because it's trying to you know if you 960 00:40:23,760 --> 00:40:22,090 if you're gonna have a purely 961 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:23,770 quantitative vocabulary 962 00:40:27,300 --> 00:40:25,450 you're never gonna capture those kind of 963 00:40:29,280 --> 00:40:27,310 qualities so I returned yet on 964 00:40:31,410 --> 00:40:29,290 philosophical grounds whereas I guess 965 00:40:34,470 --> 00:40:31,420 you're challenging it from addition more 966 00:40:36,330 --> 00:40:34,480 empirical angle no I like that and I 967 00:40:38,580 --> 00:40:36,340 like what you bring forward with that 968 00:40:40,920 --> 00:40:38,590 and hey you like you say we are really 969 00:40:43,140 --> 00:40:40,930 in the same side here in terms of 970 00:40:44,400 --> 00:40:43,150 throwing stones that scientific 971 00:40:47,490 --> 00:40:44,410 materialism as it applies to 972 00:40:49,110 --> 00:40:47,500 consciousness it's just a good chat to 973 00:40:51,270 --> 00:40:49,120 have you know and we've kind of covered 974 00:40:52,710 --> 00:40:51,280 some ground here in terms of 975 00:40:54,570 --> 00:40:52,720 understanding the pushback on 976 00:40:57,570 --> 00:40:54,580 materialism when we say first we 977 00:40:59,970 --> 00:40:57,580 understand that people are scientists if 978 00:41:01,380 --> 00:40:59,980 you will and to a certain extent the 979 00:41:03,030 --> 00:41:01,390 general public although I think the 980 00:41:05,520 --> 00:41:03,040 general public is really kind of more on 981 00:41:08,340 --> 00:41:05,530 our side when you really break it down 982 00:41:11,220 --> 00:41:08,350 and start asking the questions about do 983 00:41:13,349 --> 00:41:11,230 you believe in love do you believe in 984 00:41:15,180 --> 00:41:13,359 the connection you have with 985 00:41:17,309 --> 00:41:15,190 other people you know even if you ask 986 00:41:19,229 --> 00:41:17,319 people if they believe in ghosts and 987 00:41:21,329 --> 00:41:19,239 spirits which are way outside you know 988 00:41:23,069 --> 00:41:21,339 there's a significant number of people 989 00:41:25,229 --> 00:41:23,079 believe in that so I think the public is 990 00:41:27,950 --> 00:41:25,239 really kind of on our side who are 991 00:41:32,339 --> 00:41:27,960 really who's outside of this loop is a 992 00:41:34,859 --> 00:41:32,349 relatively small group of materialist 993 00:41:35,640 --> 00:41:34,869 scientists who we don't understand and 994 00:41:37,829 --> 00:41:35,650 that's one of things we've been 995 00:41:40,410 --> 00:41:37,839 processing here is what's the agenda and 996 00:41:42,829 --> 00:41:40,420 you've suggested that part of the agenda 997 00:41:44,759 --> 00:41:42,839 is just they're just blown away by the 998 00:41:47,099 --> 00:41:44,769 accomplishments of engineering and the 999 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:47,109 iPhone is freaking fantastic even though 1000 00:41:51,960 --> 00:41:49,210 I'm an Android guy that's fantastic so 1001 00:41:54,509 --> 00:41:51,970 great hats off and then number two we 1002 00:41:56,519 --> 00:41:54,519 said there's also the potential for 1003 00:41:58,799 --> 00:41:56,529 social engineering and that's I'm 1004 00:42:01,529 --> 00:41:58,809 definitely on board with that and you 1005 00:42:03,359 --> 00:42:01,539 not so much the third thing I think that 1006 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:03,369 I want to bring up because you do have 1007 00:42:07,680 --> 00:42:06,130 an excellent blog and it's people should 1008 00:42:10,620 --> 00:42:07,690 check it out you talk about not only 1009 00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:10,630 consciousness but then you roll that in 1010 00:42:16,049 --> 00:42:13,210 to social issues and political issues 1011 00:42:17,970 --> 00:42:16,059 and stuff that's going on there so the 1012 00:42:21,420 --> 00:42:17,980 third thing I want to point out there is 1013 00:42:23,120 --> 00:42:21,430 I think part of the reactionary thing 1014 00:42:25,349 --> 00:42:23,130 that we get from mainstream 1015 00:42:27,870 --> 00:42:25,359 materialistic science I think is on 1016 00:42:30,059 --> 00:42:27,880 religious grounds and you touched on 1017 00:42:32,809 --> 00:42:30,069 this in a recent blog post that I was 1018 00:42:35,579 --> 00:42:32,819 alluding to because it raised the ire of 1019 00:42:37,979 --> 00:42:35,589 head priest Jerry Coyne at University of 1020 00:42:41,700 --> 00:42:37,989 Chicago one of the last remaining raging 1021 00:42:44,370 --> 00:42:41,710 atheists but you titled it religion but 1022 00:42:46,799 --> 00:42:44,380 not as we know it so I thought that 1023 00:42:49,019 --> 00:42:46,809 would be an interesting maybe final 1024 00:42:50,999 --> 00:42:49,029 topic to talk about here today and then 1025 00:42:52,739 --> 00:42:51,009 we can get back and talk some more about 1026 00:42:54,690 --> 00:42:52,749 your books but tell me what you were 1027 00:42:57,079 --> 00:42:54,700 going for there and and how it relates 1028 00:43:00,239 --> 00:42:57,089 to these issues of consciousness yeah 1029 00:43:03,029 --> 00:43:00,249 that was the title of the blog post and 1030 00:43:05,759 --> 00:43:03,039 that was my response to Jerry cone Jerry 1031 00:43:08,130 --> 00:43:05,769 Coyne sorry but and it was following on 1032 00:43:09,930 --> 00:43:08,140 from an article I published in that 1033 00:43:13,650 --> 00:43:09,940 Times Literary Supplement last week 1034 00:43:17,059 --> 00:43:13,660 called believers without belief so I was 1035 00:43:20,220 --> 00:43:17,069 exploring alternative approaches to 1036 00:43:23,279 --> 00:43:20,230 engaging with conventional Western 1037 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:23,289 religion like Christianity Judaism Islam 1038 00:43:28,380 --> 00:43:26,650 and so one of them for example what 1039 00:43:32,040 --> 00:43:28,390 what's known as religious fictional ISM 1040 00:43:34,890 --> 00:43:32,050 so the the religious fiction is someone 1041 00:43:39,620 --> 00:43:34,900 who you know goes to church or temple 1042 00:43:41,520 --> 00:43:39,630 pray they think the contentious 1043 00:43:43,920 --> 00:43:41,530 propositions of religion like I don't 1044 00:43:44,370 --> 00:43:43,930 know God exists or Jesus rose from the 1045 00:43:46,410 --> 00:43:44,380 dead 1046 00:43:48,690 --> 00:43:46,420 they think they're false strictly 1047 00:43:51,060 --> 00:43:48,700 speaking right so it sounds like a kind 1048 00:43:54,630 --> 00:43:51,070 of contradiction but but the thought is 1049 00:43:56,700 --> 00:43:54,640 that the certain a certain value certain 1050 00:44:00,660 --> 00:43:56,710 people and as individuals or in a 1051 00:44:02,730 --> 00:44:00,670 community maybe get out of religious 1052 00:44:04,830 --> 00:44:02,740 practice that is independent of whether 1053 00:44:07,620 --> 00:44:04,840 these you know the discourse is 1054 00:44:09,810 --> 00:44:07,630 literally true so like there are 1055 00:44:11,550 --> 00:44:09,820 stronger and weaker forms of this you 1056 00:44:12,960 --> 00:44:11,560 know a really strong form would be 1057 00:44:14,880 --> 00:44:12,970 someone who has to know the same 1058 00:44:16,770 --> 00:44:14,890 worldview as Richard Dawkins but still 1059 00:44:18,120 --> 00:44:16,780 goes to church and though you know there 1060 00:44:20,040 --> 00:44:18,130 are there are there are people like that 1061 00:44:22,860 --> 00:44:20,050 although it's may be difficult to see 1062 00:44:25,520 --> 00:44:22,870 the motivation but you know a more and 1063 00:44:28,410 --> 00:44:25,530 more moderate form would be someone who 1064 00:44:32,220 --> 00:44:28,420 believes in some kind of transcendent 1065 00:44:34,050 --> 00:44:32,230 spiritual reality but doesn't believe in 1066 00:44:36,990 --> 00:44:34,060 a personal God doesn't believe in that 1067 00:44:40,850 --> 00:44:37,000 God has traditionally construed and so 1068 00:44:43,950 --> 00:44:40,860 they you know they they engage in 1069 00:44:46,950 --> 00:44:43,960 Christian on Judaic ritual and discourse 1070 00:44:49,680 --> 00:44:46,960 but they take they take that as as as 1071 00:44:52,560 --> 00:44:49,690 non-literal as metaphorical you know 1072 00:44:56,390 --> 00:44:52,570 conceiving of the transcendent 1073 00:44:58,740 --> 00:44:56,400 as a loving parent for example as a 1074 00:45:02,040 --> 00:44:58,750 person and that's understood as an 1075 00:45:04,620 --> 00:45:02,050 important part of the practice even if 1076 00:45:06,660 --> 00:45:04,630 it's not literally true and actually you 1077 00:45:12,090 --> 00:45:06,670 know that this this is this historically 1078 00:45:14,460 --> 00:45:12,100 was a very mainstream in Christianity 1079 00:45:16,440 --> 00:45:14,470 certainly a very mainstream position you 1080 00:45:18,390 --> 00:45:16,450 know Aquinas as view comes close to this 1081 00:45:21,210 --> 00:45:18,400 and it sort of been forgotten about I 1082 00:45:22,410 --> 00:45:21,220 think you know since the Scientific 1083 00:45:23,940 --> 00:45:22,420 Revolution and the Protestant 1084 00:45:26,880 --> 00:45:23,950 Reformation where we start to get these 1085 00:45:29,550 --> 00:45:26,890 wars with science and so now I just like 1086 00:45:32,940 --> 00:45:29,560 to remind people that you know it's 1087 00:45:34,770 --> 00:45:32,950 having a lot of people who think a lot 1088 00:45:36,510 --> 00:45:34,780 of people call themselves spiritual but 1089 00:45:39,510 --> 00:45:36,520 not religious because they think you 1090 00:45:41,490 --> 00:45:39,520 know I don't believe this sort of 1091 00:45:45,120 --> 00:45:41,500 God has traditionally construed in 1092 00:45:47,310 --> 00:45:45,130 Christianity say but you know there are 1093 00:45:49,800 --> 00:45:47,320 these alternative ways of understanding 1094 00:45:51,540 --> 00:45:49,810 what's going on in there that you know 1095 00:45:54,360 --> 00:45:51,550 might be helpful for some people who 1096 00:45:57,450 --> 00:45:54,370 could you know fit with a way of fitting 1097 00:45:59,900 --> 00:45:57,460 with their own personal religious views 1098 00:46:02,670 --> 00:45:59,910 while still perhaps engaging with a 1099 00:46:04,710 --> 00:46:02,680 cultural form that you know it's 1100 00:46:06,480 --> 00:46:04,720 familiar to them and you know more 1101 00:46:08,900 --> 00:46:06,490 suited to them maybe I thought that was 1102 00:46:11,850 --> 00:46:08,910 that was the broad spoken like a true 1103 00:46:14,930 --> 00:46:11,860 academic philosopher you're kind of on 1104 00:46:17,150 --> 00:46:14,940 the outside looking in here people are 1105 00:46:19,790 --> 00:46:17,160 drawn to religion 1106 00:46:22,410 --> 00:46:19,800 because they have an underlying 1107 00:46:24,120 --> 00:46:22,420 spiritually transformative experience 1108 00:46:25,980 --> 00:46:24,130 and they have it in all sorts of 1109 00:46:29,850 --> 00:46:25,990 different ways and then they try and 1110 00:46:32,430 --> 00:46:29,860 relate it to these organs in stitute 1111 00:46:34,470 --> 00:46:32,440 that are propped up I mean do you 1112 00:46:37,110 --> 00:46:34,480 believe there are such things as 1113 00:46:38,960 --> 00:46:37,120 spiritually transformative experiences 1114 00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:38,970 do you believe there are such things as 1115 00:46:44,430 --> 00:46:41,530 extended consciousness realms where 1116 00:46:45,900 --> 00:46:44,440 spirits exist and I'm not gonna pick on 1117 00:46:47,910 --> 00:46:45,910 you if you say one way or another but 1118 00:46:50,070 --> 00:46:47,920 that seems to be the fundamental 1119 00:46:51,870 --> 00:46:50,080 question well let me say this I mean I 1120 00:46:54,860 --> 00:46:51,880 guess to some extent I'm agnostic I'm 1121 00:46:57,230 --> 00:46:54,870 definitely an atheist about the 1122 00:46:59,460 --> 00:46:57,240 traditional conception of God 1123 00:47:01,020 --> 00:46:59,470 all-knowing all-powerful perfectly good 1124 00:47:04,650 --> 00:47:01,030 just because it's the problem of evil 1125 00:47:06,390 --> 00:47:04,660 and suffering problem of reconciling the 1126 00:47:09,510 --> 00:47:06,400 suffering we find in the world with an 1127 00:47:14,100 --> 00:47:09,520 all-powerful and loving God yeah I find 1128 00:47:16,590 --> 00:47:14,110 that to be very overwhelming case but in 1129 00:47:18,000 --> 00:47:16,600 terms of let me say one thing that 1130 00:47:19,920 --> 00:47:18,010 actually I could talk it so I talked a 1131 00:47:23,490 --> 00:47:19,930 little bit of in my new in my new book 1132 00:47:25,080 --> 00:47:23,500 about mystical experiences now I've 1133 00:47:26,870 --> 00:47:25,090 never had a mystical experience I guess 1134 00:47:29,010 --> 00:47:26,880 it's partly what you're talking about 1135 00:47:32,100 --> 00:47:29,020 spiritually transformative experiences 1136 00:47:35,700 --> 00:47:32,110 so I've never had one myself a lie I 1137 00:47:40,140 --> 00:47:35,710 meditate every day but I'm still waiting 1138 00:47:43,320 --> 00:47:40,150 but so I guess to that extent I've got 1139 00:47:46,560 --> 00:47:43,330 to be somewhat agnostic but what I do 1140 00:47:48,750 --> 00:47:46,570 want to say so I'm upon psychist which I 1141 00:47:50,700 --> 00:47:48,760 can Rita that much about but I'm you 1142 00:47:52,380 --> 00:47:50,710 know I think the fundamental nature of 1143 00:47:54,930 --> 00:47:52,390 the material universe 1144 00:47:55,710 --> 00:47:54,940 in is in some sense constituted of 1145 00:47:57,120 --> 00:47:55,720 consciousness 1146 00:47:59,309 --> 00:47:57,130 so I'm upon Cyprus but on a pond 1147 00:48:00,930 --> 00:47:59,319 psychist you know not for spiritual 1148 00:48:04,200 --> 00:48:00,940 reasons but because I think it's you 1149 00:48:06,150 --> 00:48:04,210 know the best account of consciousness 1150 00:48:13,620 --> 00:48:06,160 the best way of bringing consciousness 1151 00:48:18,210 --> 00:48:13,630 into our worldview but what I was think 1152 00:48:21,120 --> 00:48:18,220 if you're a pun psychist so let me 1153 00:48:24,180 --> 00:48:21,130 rephrase this so I don't know whether 1154 00:48:26,999 --> 00:48:24,190 these spiritual experiences are genuine 1155 00:48:29,009 --> 00:48:27,009 insights into reality or whether they're 1156 00:48:32,670 --> 00:48:29,019 had delusions caused by something going 1157 00:48:36,180 --> 00:48:32,680 wrong in the brain but if you're have a 1158 00:48:38,249 --> 00:48:36,190 pun psychist worldview there's much less 1159 00:48:41,489 --> 00:48:38,259 pressure to say they're delusions right 1160 00:48:43,470 --> 00:48:41,499 that's what I want to say so like you 1161 00:48:46,440 --> 00:48:43,480 know a lot of people having people 1162 00:48:49,950 --> 00:48:46,450 having mystical experiences claim that 1163 00:48:52,559 --> 00:48:49,960 it becomes apparent to them that there 1164 00:48:55,470 --> 00:48:52,569 is this pure universal consciousness 1165 00:48:58,019 --> 00:48:55,480 that underlies all things right now if 1166 00:48:59,460 --> 00:48:58,029 you're a materialist there's a lot of 1167 00:49:01,529 --> 00:48:59,470 pressure to say that must be a delusion 1168 00:49:02,910 --> 00:49:01,539 right that's just something funny gone 1169 00:49:03,660 --> 00:49:02,920 in the brain but if you're a pun 1170 00:49:07,349 --> 00:49:03,670 psychist 1171 00:49:09,329 --> 00:49:07,359 and you already think the fundamental 1172 00:49:11,339 --> 00:49:09,339 nature of physical reality is made up of 1173 00:49:16,289 --> 00:49:11,349 consciousness well you know there's not 1174 00:49:18,509 --> 00:49:16,299 more of a further step just a well maybe 1175 00:49:20,430 --> 00:49:18,519 this universal consciousness somehow 1176 00:49:23,279 --> 00:49:20,440 underlies these more mundane forms of 1177 00:49:24,420 --> 00:49:23,289 consciousness so you're much more opens 1178 00:49:27,089 --> 00:49:24,430 eyes upon psychist 1179 00:49:29,880 --> 00:49:27,099 and much more open to that possibility 1180 00:49:33,749 --> 00:49:29,890 and you know I think in general that 1181 00:49:35,670 --> 00:49:33,759 it's pump cycles and is a lot better for 1182 00:49:38,910 --> 00:49:35,680 our kind of spiritual health as a 1183 00:49:41,609 --> 00:49:38,920 worldview so I'm much more open in that 1184 00:49:44,430 --> 00:49:41,619 regard but and I guess I have I guess I 1185 00:49:47,400 --> 00:49:44,440 would say I have I've had fleeting 1186 00:49:49,200 --> 00:49:47,410 experiences when you you know certain 1187 00:49:50,759 --> 00:49:49,210 deep experience of beauty where you do 1188 00:49:54,359 --> 00:49:50,769 seem to have a fleeting awareness of 1189 00:49:56,700 --> 00:49:54,369 something like that but I guess I'm 1190 00:49:58,890 --> 00:49:56,710 still somewhat agnostic but very much 1191 00:50:00,269 --> 00:49:58,900 more open than I would be if I were a 1192 00:50:02,519 --> 00:50:00,279 materialist so I think that's an 1193 00:50:02,999 --> 00:50:02,529 important it's not the reason I am pants 1194 00:50:05,770 --> 00:50:03,009 I guess 1195 00:50:07,300 --> 00:50:05,780 it's a 1196 00:50:11,020 --> 00:50:07,310 interesting and important implications 1197 00:50:12,670 --> 00:50:11,030 of you you know that's interesting you 1198 00:50:15,850 --> 00:50:12,680 know it's interesting how people come at 1199 00:50:18,190 --> 00:50:15,860 this stuff I have not had the firework 1200 00:50:20,770 --> 00:50:18,200 kind of spiritually transformative 1201 00:50:23,530 --> 00:50:20,780 experience either I'm you know 1202 00:50:24,670 --> 00:50:23,540 meditation kind of guy like you and I'm 1203 00:50:26,590 --> 00:50:24,680 open to it 1204 00:50:28,150 --> 00:50:26,600 I'm waiting like you said I don't know 1205 00:50:30,040 --> 00:50:28,160 if I'm waiting I've because we're we 1206 00:50:31,390 --> 00:50:30,050 can't really wait right that's part of 1207 00:50:33,180 --> 00:50:31,400 the thing about meditating right we're 1208 00:50:35,710 --> 00:50:33,190 not waiting we're just being present but 1209 00:50:37,420 --> 00:50:35,720 analyse yourself a little bit you know 1210 00:50:40,300 --> 00:50:37,430 because I think there's a lot of folks 1211 00:50:44,070 --> 00:50:40,310 like like you Philip and like me as well 1212 00:50:47,410 --> 00:50:44,080 especially guys we need to think it and 1213 00:50:49,810 --> 00:50:47,420 understand it really before we can feel 1214 00:50:51,520 --> 00:50:49,820 it in some ways and before we can 1215 00:50:53,140 --> 00:50:51,530 experience it and it sounds like that's 1216 00:50:56,500 --> 00:50:53,150 where you're coming from you know you 1217 00:50:59,560 --> 00:50:56,510 need to kind of grok pant psychism 1218 00:51:01,300 --> 00:50:59,570 versus materialism before you're willing 1219 00:51:02,980 --> 00:51:01,310 to venture in do you have any any 1220 00:51:07,060 --> 00:51:02,990 thoughts does that ring true to you at 1221 00:51:11,530 --> 00:51:07,070 all or yeah yeah I guess some I guess 1222 00:51:13,600 --> 00:51:11,540 I'm always always thinking how things 1223 00:51:16,030 --> 00:51:13,610 fit together oh I want to I want a 1224 00:51:18,370 --> 00:51:16,040 complete world view where everything 1225 00:51:19,570 --> 00:51:18,380 fits nicely even sometimes women you 1226 00:51:22,300 --> 00:51:19,580 know I've got a young child and I 1227 00:51:24,100 --> 00:51:22,310 watched lots of you know kids films and 1228 00:51:25,270 --> 00:51:24,110 they often don't make sense okay you 1229 00:51:27,190 --> 00:51:25,280 know that doesn't make sense that you 1230 00:51:29,500 --> 00:51:27,200 have to tell myself to stop these stupid 1231 00:51:31,690 --> 00:51:29,510 and stuff I suppose I'm you know I'm a 1232 00:51:33,850 --> 00:51:31,700 kind of logical guy I want to know how 1233 00:51:38,980 --> 00:51:33,860 it all fits into a logical coherent 1234 00:51:41,980 --> 00:51:38,990 worldview so yeah I guess I don't know 1235 00:51:43,690 --> 00:51:41,990 so I guess yeah a lot of people may 1236 00:51:45,340 --> 00:51:43,700 think of like sam harris or something 1237 00:51:49,510 --> 00:51:45,350 who's really into meditation and 1238 00:51:51,130 --> 00:51:49,520 spiritual experiences and but you know 1239 00:51:55,590 --> 00:51:51,140 he wants to think about that in a way 1240 00:51:58,480 --> 00:51:55,600 that fits with his general worldview and 1241 00:52:00,370 --> 00:51:58,490 yeah i suppose i said that's fine 1242 00:52:02,920 --> 00:52:00,380 depending on on your worldview generally 1243 00:52:05,080 --> 00:52:02,930 it's maybe gonna affect how are you on 1244 00:52:07,150 --> 00:52:05,090 the standard and what you're open to and 1245 00:52:09,150 --> 00:52:07,160 you know it could be fakes at some point 1246 00:52:11,560 --> 00:52:09,160 and you just have such an overwhelming 1247 00:52:14,890 --> 00:52:11,570 spiritual experience that that changes 1248 00:52:16,930 --> 00:52:14,900 your worldview but I guess because I'm 1249 00:52:18,670 --> 00:52:16,940 already at pants I kissed it you know it 1250 00:52:19,900 --> 00:52:18,680 wouldn't be much of a change to my 1251 00:52:22,299 --> 00:52:19,910 worldview if 1252 00:52:24,160 --> 00:52:22,309 Italy came into direct contact with 1253 00:52:27,370 --> 00:52:24,170 universal consciousness than sorry 1254 00:52:28,599 --> 00:52:27,380 underlied it underlies all things you 1255 00:52:30,999 --> 00:52:28,609 know that wouldn't be much of a change 1256 00:52:33,819 --> 00:52:31,009 to my worldview but you know we've just 1257 00:52:37,329 --> 00:52:33,829 I already think you know consciousness 1258 00:52:40,839 --> 00:52:37,339 is kind of everywhere yeah hey Philip 1259 00:52:42,640 --> 00:52:40,849 when is the Galileo's aerbook when is 1260 00:52:44,470 --> 00:52:42,650 that coming out Galileo's err a 1261 00:52:45,940 --> 00:52:44,480 manifesto for a new science of 1262 00:52:48,339 --> 00:52:45,950 consciousness is that definitely going 1263 00:52:50,650 --> 00:52:48,349 to be the title is that the subtitle has 1264 00:52:52,480 --> 00:52:50,660 changed two foundations for a new 1265 00:52:54,519 --> 00:52:52,490 science consciousness but yeah the type 1266 00:53:00,069 --> 00:52:54,529 of thing yeah it's coming out August the 1267 00:53:02,950 --> 00:53:00,079 15th in the US and the UK yeah I'm just 1268 00:53:04,509 --> 00:53:02,960 doing the proofs right now so I mean if 1269 00:53:06,309 --> 00:53:04,519 I could just say bleep it so the other 1270 00:53:08,710 --> 00:53:06,319 thing that focuses on so the Galileo 1271 00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:08,720 stuff is why we have a problem of 1272 00:53:14,609 --> 00:53:10,730 consciousness and why we need to rethink 1273 00:53:18,789 --> 00:53:14,619 science but there's also positive story 1274 00:53:21,819 --> 00:53:18,799 which is the rediscovery of certain 1275 00:53:24,309 --> 00:53:21,829 views defender by person Russell the 1276 00:53:26,859 --> 00:53:24,319 philosopher and Arthur Eddington in the 1277 00:53:28,480 --> 00:53:26,869 1920s the scientist incidentally the 1278 00:53:30,789 --> 00:53:28,490 first scientist to confirm general 1279 00:53:33,039 --> 00:53:30,799 relativity so that there's been a recent 1280 00:53:35,769 --> 00:53:33,049 rediscovery of their ideas from the 1281 00:53:38,140 --> 00:53:35,779 1920s which is causing a lot of 1282 00:53:41,740 --> 00:53:38,150 excitement in academic philosophy and as 1283 00:53:43,900 --> 00:53:41,750 I kind of hold new or rapid approach to 1284 00:53:46,150 --> 00:53:43,910 consciousness that's part of what I'm 1285 00:53:48,730 --> 00:53:46,160 trying to promote in the book gives us 1286 00:53:50,140 --> 00:53:48,740 is another problem with materialism so 1287 00:53:52,450 --> 00:53:50,150 you've talked about what you see is 1288 00:53:54,400 --> 00:53:52,460 empirical problems with materialism I've 1289 00:53:57,460 --> 00:53:54,410 talked about the problems as with 1290 00:54:00,240 --> 00:53:57,470 consciousness but you know what Russell 1291 00:54:03,400 --> 00:54:00,250 and Eddington realized in the 1920s is 1292 00:54:06,069 --> 00:54:03,410 that actually physical science isn't 1293 00:54:09,220 --> 00:54:06,079 really telling us what stuff is anyway 1294 00:54:11,410 --> 00:54:09,230 so you know in the public mind physical 1295 00:54:13,720 --> 00:54:11,420 science is giving us this complete story 1296 00:54:16,900 --> 00:54:13,730 of the nature of space and time and 1297 00:54:19,809 --> 00:54:16,910 matter but what Russell and Eddington 1298 00:54:22,599 --> 00:54:19,819 realized in the 1920s is that when you 1299 00:54:24,430 --> 00:54:22,609 reflect on what the information you're 1300 00:54:26,140 --> 00:54:24,440 getting from physical science it's 1301 00:54:28,269 --> 00:54:26,150 really just telling us about the 1302 00:54:30,700 --> 00:54:28,279 behavior of stuff you know what stuff 1303 00:54:32,170 --> 00:54:30,710 does and that's you know that's why it's 1304 00:54:33,900 --> 00:54:32,180 so useful for like engineering 1305 00:54:36,510 --> 00:54:33,910 technology because if you 1306 00:54:38,010 --> 00:54:36,520 how stuff behaves and you can predict 1307 00:54:39,750 --> 00:54:38,020 how it's gonna behave you can get an 1308 00:54:41,700 --> 00:54:39,760 incredible technology but it doesn't 1309 00:54:44,100 --> 00:54:41,710 really tell us what philosophers like to 1310 00:54:46,640 --> 00:54:44,110 call the intrinsic nature of matter you 1311 00:54:49,500 --> 00:54:46,650 know what it is in and of itself 1312 00:54:50,880 --> 00:54:49,510 independently of how it behaves so this 1313 00:54:52,830 --> 00:54:50,890 is you know this is another problem 1314 00:54:54,810 --> 00:54:52,840 materialism even before you get to 1315 00:54:57,120 --> 00:54:54,820 consciousness it's not really telling us 1316 00:55:01,170 --> 00:54:57,130 what matter is it's just telling us what 1317 00:55:02,280 --> 00:55:01,180 it does and so that so the what what's 1318 00:55:06,750 --> 00:55:02,290 the hell is got this got to do with 1319 00:55:08,640 --> 00:55:06,760 consciousness you know you can see the 1320 00:55:10,980 --> 00:55:08,650 problem of consciousness is the problem 1321 00:55:12,330 --> 00:55:10,990 of finding a place for consciousness in 1322 00:55:15,570 --> 00:55:12,340 our worldview you know how does 1323 00:55:18,270 --> 00:55:15,580 consciousness fit in and Russell and 1324 00:55:21,060 --> 00:55:18,280 Eddington say well actually there's this 1325 00:55:23,280 --> 00:55:21,070 huge hole in our scientific picture that 1326 00:55:27,480 --> 00:55:23,290 physics doesn't tell us what matter is 1327 00:55:30,120 --> 00:55:27,490 and so there's a potential for a way of 1328 00:55:32,610 --> 00:55:30,130 solving both these problems at once what 1329 00:55:35,760 --> 00:55:32,620 we say is that consciousness is the 1330 00:55:38,460 --> 00:55:35,770 intrinsic nature of matter so you know 1331 00:55:40,080 --> 00:55:38,470 there's just matter physics describes it 1332 00:55:43,020 --> 00:55:40,090 from the outside it tells us what it 1333 00:55:45,480 --> 00:55:43,030 does but in its in its intrinsic nature 1334 00:55:50,430 --> 00:55:45,490 its constituted a consciousness so this 1335 00:55:53,010 --> 00:55:50,440 is the positive positive aspect of the 1336 00:55:55,230 --> 00:55:53,020 book that's rediscovering this really 1337 00:55:57,120 --> 00:55:55,240 you know what I think is what is one of 1338 00:55:59,640 --> 00:55:57,130 the most promising solutions for moving 1339 00:56:02,820 --> 00:55:59,650 forward consciousness so yeah that's the 1340 00:56:04,680 --> 00:56:02,830 other aspect so that would be no no 1341 00:56:08,160 --> 00:56:04,690 that's awesome that's perfect that's 1342 00:56:10,380 --> 00:56:08,170 great and so what is going what will we 1343 00:56:15,480 --> 00:56:10,390 find over at the blog what's coming up 1344 00:56:17,220 --> 00:56:15,490 what are you working on what am i 1345 00:56:18,960 --> 00:56:17,230 working on I don't know I think about 1346 00:56:20,910 --> 00:56:18,970 the blog from month to month really and 1347 00:56:22,170 --> 00:56:20,920 what's annoying me or what's I don't 1348 00:56:24,630 --> 00:56:22,180 know I probably should write something 1349 00:56:26,820 --> 00:56:24,640 that breaks it which is or dominates the 1350 00:56:28,880 --> 00:56:26,830 whole news here yeah I was reading I was 1351 00:56:31,380 --> 00:56:28,890 reading a little bit about brexit I just 1352 00:56:34,620 --> 00:56:31,390 didn't even want to go there why would 1353 00:56:36,660 --> 00:56:34,630 you concede back to those idiots who are 1354 00:56:39,450 --> 00:56:36,670 trying to I mean the people voted let's 1355 00:56:41,760 --> 00:56:39,460 let the people's vote matter for once I 1356 00:56:43,080 --> 00:56:41,770 don't know one of the things that struck 1357 00:56:45,300 --> 00:56:43,090 me coming back to Jerry Coyne 1358 00:56:46,870 --> 00:56:45,310 you know I was proposing the benefits of 1359 00:56:49,540 --> 00:56:46,880 religion and he say 1360 00:56:50,950 --> 00:56:49,550 people are fine communities are fine as 1361 00:56:53,470 --> 00:56:50,960 they are but you know I think we're 1362 00:56:56,140 --> 00:56:53,480 living in a pretty messed-up world in 1363 00:56:58,900 --> 00:56:56,150 all sorts of ways you know that this the 1364 00:57:01,150 --> 00:56:58,910 far right all over Europe this you know 1365 00:57:05,080 --> 00:57:01,160 brexit crisis here you know I think I 1366 00:57:06,640 --> 00:57:05,090 think this is partly because people are 1367 00:57:09,520 --> 00:57:06,650 lacking these shared structures is 1368 00:57:11,560 --> 00:57:09,530 meaning lacking a worldview that makes 1369 00:57:14,080 --> 00:57:11,570 sense of their lives and the self 1370 00:57:15,280 --> 00:57:14,090 understanding so and this is yeah 1371 00:57:16,600 --> 00:57:15,290 because as part of what I try to do in 1372 00:57:19,870 --> 00:57:16,610 the final chapter of the book actually 1373 00:57:21,760 --> 00:57:19,880 go think about what implications can 1374 00:57:23,230 --> 00:57:21,770 psychism has to how we think about the 1375 00:57:25,870 --> 00:57:23,240 world how we think about the environment 1376 00:57:29,380 --> 00:57:25,880 and how we live our lives you know 1377 00:57:33,670 --> 00:57:29,390 spiritually and practically so yeah this 1378 00:57:35,740 --> 00:57:33,680 is you know so many philosophers are you 1379 00:57:37,390 --> 00:57:35,750 know so kind of cold blooded abstract 1380 00:57:39,760 --> 00:57:37,400 focused on a specific issue or not 1381 00:57:45,910 --> 00:57:39,770 forgotten how to look at the big picture 1382 00:57:48,100 --> 00:57:45,920 which is kind of crucial but yeah well 1383 00:57:49,750 --> 00:57:48,110 excellent it's been absolutely terrific 1384 00:57:52,570 --> 00:57:49,760 chatting and I appreciate you going 1385 00:57:54,190 --> 00:57:52,580 through such as allowing me to just kind 1386 00:57:56,080 --> 00:57:54,200 of free flow it here and talk about so 1387 00:57:58,210 --> 00:57:56,090 many different things so I do hope 1388 00:58:01,450 --> 00:57:58,220 people check out the new book it sounds 1389 00:58:03,430 --> 00:58:01,460 fantastic and the the first book is much 1390 00:58:05,500 --> 00:58:03,440 more academically earning it but this is 1391 00:58:07,690 --> 00:58:05,510 cool will be the first one out on 1392 00:58:10,300 --> 00:58:07,700 talking about the new book and your 1393 00:58:16,360 --> 00:58:10,310 website as well and I hope people follow 1394 00:58:17,980 --> 00:58:16,370 your work so thanks again Phillip thanks 1395 00:58:19,870 --> 00:58:17,990 again to Phillip Gough for joining me 1396 00:58:21,970 --> 00:58:19,880 today on skeptic oh I guess the one 1397 00:58:25,300 --> 00:58:21,980 question I'd have to tee up from this 1398 00:58:28,540 --> 00:58:25,310 interview is the question of acceptance 1399 00:58:31,870 --> 00:58:28,550 we all get that biological robot in a 1400 00:58:34,330 --> 00:58:31,880 meaningless universe is an absurd idea 1401 00:58:36,610 --> 00:58:34,340 but how much do we need to pound that 1402 00:58:39,910 --> 00:58:36,620 over the head of stuck in the mud 1403 00:58:43,270 --> 00:58:39,920 academics and other ordained holders of 1404 00:58:44,980 --> 00:58:43,280 power and influence boy I'm tempted to 1405 00:58:47,050 --> 00:58:44,990 answer that question but I'm not going 1406 00:58:49,030 --> 00:58:47,060 to because I want you to answer it and 1407 00:58:51,070 --> 00:58:49,040 tell me what you think the best place to 1408 00:58:53,110 --> 00:58:51,080 do it is on the skeptical forum but you 1409 00:58:55,720 --> 00:58:53,120 can reach out and connect with me any 1410 00:58:58,090 --> 00:58:55,730 way you like email Facebook which I 1411 00:59:00,840 --> 00:58:58,100 never get over to but anyway the 1412 00:59:03,550 --> 00:59:00,850 important thing is that we find a way to 1413 00:59:07,870 --> 00:59:03,560 again I always say this but it's so true 1414 00:59:10,840 --> 00:59:07,880 this amazing thing that's going on of me 1415 00:59:14,650 --> 00:59:10,850 sitting in this room talking into the 1416 00:59:16,840 --> 00:59:14,660 mic and you popping those earbuds on and 1417 00:59:20,290 --> 00:59:16,850 walking around and hearing this 1418 00:59:23,590 --> 00:59:20,300 conversation is such a cool amazing 1419 00:59:24,130 --> 00:59:23,600 thing so let's close the loop a little 1420 00:59:26,620 --> 00:59:24,140 bit 1421 00:59:29,140 --> 00:59:26,630 let's send an email back and forth let's 1422 00:59:31,210 --> 00:59:29,150 jump on a forum and talk about what's 1423 00:59:34,330 --> 00:59:31,220 happening when we do make this 1424 00:59:37,300 --> 00:59:34,340 connection I hope you do that I'm ready 1425 00:59:39,880 --> 00:59:37,310 for it I'm waiting I hope you take the 1426 00:59:42,790 --> 00:59:39,890 next step of course do stay with me for 1427 00:59:44,560 --> 00:59:42,800 upcoming skeptical episodes and be sure 1428 00:59:47,470 --> 00:59:44,570 to check out the back catalog all 1429 00:59:52,000 --> 00:59:47,480 available for free download at skeptic 1430 00:59:53,750 --> 00:59:52,010 accom until next time take care and bye 1431 01:00:00,240 --> 00:59:53,760 for now 1432 01:00:11,429 --> 01:00:07,240 [Music] 1433 01:00:13,289 --> 01:00:11,439 so thanks for watching this video if it 1434 01:00:15,900 --> 01:00:13,299 wasn't really a video but just an audio 1435 01:00:17,459 --> 01:00:15,910 stored as a video I apologize but 1436 01:00:19,380 --> 01:00:17,469 there's more videos out there as well 1437 01:00:21,239 --> 01:00:19,390 but please check out the skeptic Oh 1438 01:00:22,589 --> 01:00:21,249 website you can see it here we cover a 1439 01:00:25,410 --> 01:00:22,599 lot of different stuff you might be 1440 01:00:28,739 --> 01:00:25,420 interested in relating to controversial 1441 01:00:31,529 --> 01:00:28,749 science and spirituality a lot of shows 1442 01:00:34,289 --> 01:00:31,539 up there over 350 of them are so all 1443 01:00:36,630 --> 01:00:34,299 free all available for download so do